Description
This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a sure to be a crowd pleaser. Each bite is filled with tender chicken, romaine lettuce, pasta, parmesan, homemade garlic herb croutons and tossed with an easy caesar dressing. It’s a fresh and flavorful main course or side dish that will quickly become a favorite!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Garlic Herb Croutons
- 1 1/2 cup cubes sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt & pepper to season
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
For the Caesar Dressing
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- a few dashes of tabasco
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Chicken Pasta Salad
- 8 oz. rotini pasta
- 3 cups romaine lettuce
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
Make the Croutons
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- To a large bowl add cubed sourdough bread, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 minced garlic cloves. Toss to coat.
- Spread bread cubed out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through.
- Remove croutons from oven. Season with salt, pepper and fresh parsley.
- Set aside.
Make the Dressing
- To a food process (or blender) add garlic, white vinegar, mustard, tabasco, juice of half a lemon, honey and mayo. Blend until garlic is minced.
- Next, add olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese. Blend until everything is combined. Set aside.
Assemble the Salad
- To a large bowl, add chopped romaine lettuce, cooled rotini pasta, chicken, homemade croutons, cherry tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
- Drizzle caesar dressing over top and gently toss together so everything is coated.
- Serve cold.
Notes
- To Make Ahead: Store cooled croutons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep dressing in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to 1 week. When ready to assemble salad, shake or stir dressing well to re-combine if needed. Build salad as usual and enjoy!
- To Store: Keep leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the lettuce will begin to wilt after 24 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 443
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 439 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
