Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is loaded with croutons, parmesan cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pasta, and chicken; all smothered in a creamy Caesar dressing. Serve this cold pasta salad as a side for your next BBQ, or as an easy weeknight dinner!

Looking for more pasta salad recipes? I love this Italian Pasta Salad, Creamy Pesto Tortellini, and Teriyaki Pasta Salad!

Why I love this recipe:

• Quick and Fresh: Done and ready to eat in just 30 minutes! Bursting with fresh ingredients, this easy pasta salad is fresh, tasty, and I just love the crunch from the lettuce and croutons!
• On the Go – No heating and no mess, I love to make this for BBQ's, picnics, or to toss in my kid's lunches!

How to make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad:

Cook Pasta: Follow instructions on package to cook pasta. Drain water then set aside to cool.

Combine Ingredients: Chop the grilled chicken breasts into small chunks. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, cooked penne pasta, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, green onion, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and croutons.

Add Dressing: Drizzle with desired amount of Caesar salad dressing then toss to coat. Serve.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:

To Make Ahead: The chicken can be cooked and all the ingredients can be chopped ahead of time. Wait to add the dressing until ready to serve.

To Store: This creamy chicken pasta salad is best served fresh, but it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. To make it work for meal prep I'd suggest storing the lettuce separately, and mixing it in just before eating.

Recipe Variations:

• Dressing – You can make homemade Caesar dressing, or buy a good quality creamy Caesar dressing from the store. I like Newman's Own or Brianna's brand.
• No Chicken – I love how the chicken makes it more filling, but you can leave it out.

Recipe

5 from 88 votes

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is loaded with croutons, parmesan cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pasta, and chicken; all smothered in a creamy Caesar dressing. Serve this cold pasta salad as a side for your next BBQ, or as an easy weeknight dinner!

Print Pin Review

Author Lauren Allen

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 372

Cost 5

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 15 minutes mins

Total 30 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 ounces penne pasta
• ▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts , grilled
• ▢ 4 cups Romaine lettuces , chopped
• ▢ 1/2 medium size cucumber , chopped
• ▢ 1 carrot , shredded
• ▢ 1/4 cup green onion , thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 cups cherry tomatoes , halved
• ▢ 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1/2 cup croutons (optional)
• ▢ Caesar salad dressing , to taste

Instructions

 

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain water and set aside to cool.
• Chop the grilled chicken breasts into small chunks.
•  In a large bowl toss together chicken, cooked penne pasta, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, green onion, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and croutons.
• Drizzle with desired amount of Caesar salad dressing and toss to coat.

Notes

*Nutritional label does not include dressing.

Make Ahead Instructions: The chicken can be cooked and all the ingredients can be chopped ahead of time. Wait to add the dressing until ready to serve.

Storing Instructions: This creamy chicken pasta salad is best served fresh, but it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. To make it work for meal prep I'd suggest storing the lettuce separately, and mixing it in just before eating.

Dressing – You can make homemade Caesar dressing, or buy a good quality creamy Caesar dressing from the store. I like Newman's Own or Marzetti brand.

Gluten-free Adaptations: use gluten-free penne pasta, Caesar's dressing, and croutons.

Macros Recipe Adaptation

1 cup carrots, 20 croutons, 1 cup cucumber, Kens Lite Caesar Dressing.

Per Serving Amount

2.6 oz. cooked chicken, 3.3 oz. cooked noodles, ¼ cup carrots, cucumber, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, ⅛ cup Kens Lite Caesar Dressing, 5 grams green onion, 1 cup romaine lettuce, 5 croutons, 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese.

Macros

401kcal, Fat: 14g, Carbs: 24g, Protein: 43g (serves 4) | MFP: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad (TBFS Macros)

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 34gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 330mgPotassium: 930mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 7201IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 2mg

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*I originally shared this recipe May 2014. Updated June 2018 and July 2022.

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