Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Name: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound rotini pasta; 2 cups chicken, (cooked and chopped); 3 cups romaine lettuce, (chopped); 1-1½ cups shredded parmesan cheese; 1-1½ cups bacon, (cooked and crumbled); 1 (5-ounce) bag croutons; 1½-2 cups Caesar dressing; garlic pepper, (to taste)

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe
Recipe FAQ
Complete The Meal

We LOVE a good salad for dinner, and what’s better than combining a green salad and a pasta salad?!

This chicken Caesar pasta salad is one of our favorites – even the kids love it. It’s hearty, packed with protein, and perfect for a dinner salad. It’s essentially a Caesar Salad with pasta! Trust us, it’s delicious.

We start with pre-cooked chicken (we always keep some on hand in the freezer), so this recipe is extra quick. You could also purchase pre-cooked chicken or bake it yourself, which will add a bit of extra time.

Store-bought dressing and croutons also make this an extra-easy dish. Just pick your favorite brands! With our favorite shortcuts, this salad is on the table in ONLY 20 minutes. It’s our go-to salad for those busy weeknights.

Try our Greek Pasta Salad for another veggie-packed pasta favorite!

Why we think you’ll love it:

Simple shortcuts. We use pre-cooked chicken and store-bought croutons and dressing to make this an extra-easy salad recipe!
Ready in 20 minutes! This recipe is a breeze with our time-savers – perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.
Filling and delicious. The pasta and chicken make this a hearty choice as a side or main dish. For a little extra, just add our favorite Garlic Bread!

Lettuce, croutons, pasta, bacon, and dressing on a kitchen counter.

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Ingredients and Substitutions

1 pound rotini pasta – cook to al dente
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped – You can buy a package of pre-cooked chicken in the refrigeration section, chop a rotisserie chicken, or cook 2 medium chicken breasts to chop.
3 cups crisp Romaine lettuce, chopped – Rinse and dry before chopping.
1-1½ cups shredded Parmesan cheese – or shaved Parmesan
1-1½ cups bacon, cooked and crumbled – We like to cook Bacon in the Oven, or you can use store-bought bacon bits.
1 (5-ounce) bag croutons – Garlic and parmesan croutons are a classic choice, but you can use any flavor of crunchy croutons.
1½ – 2 cups Caesar dressing – store-bought or homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
garlic pepper, to taste
optional ingredients – cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, or black olives

Combining lettuce, cooked pasta, cheese, and bacon in a white bowl.

Dressing drizzled on top of the past and lettuce mixture in a white bowl.

How to Make Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

PASTA. Cook pasta as directed on package directions. Once done, rinse and cool.
MIX. In a large bowl, combine pasta, cooked and chopped chicken, chopped lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon.
- If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.
DRESS. Right before serving, add the croutons and Caesar dressing. Toss it to coat. Season with garlic pepper.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

We always make a large amount of Baked Chicken to cube and freeze for later recipes like this one.
For a subtle layer of flavor, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the pot of boiling water before adding the pasta.
Be sure to cut and chop the different ingredients into bite-sized pieces.

A serving of chicken Caesar pasta salad served in a white bowl with a black fork.

No ratings yet

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

By: Lil’ Luna

Thanks to some favorite shortcuts, this hearty chicken Caesar pasta salad is ready in just 20 minutes – perfect for a quick lunch or dinner!

Servings: 8

Prep: 20

Total: 20

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound rotini pasta
▢ 2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
▢ 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
▢ 1-1½ cups shredded parmesan cheese
▢ 1-1½ cups bacon, cooked and crumbled
▢ 1 (5-ounce) bag croutons
▢ 1½-2 cups Caesar dressing
▢ garlic pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta as directed on package directions. Once done, rinse and cool.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, cooked and chopped chicken, chopped lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon.
If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.
Right before serving, add croutons and Caesar dressing and toss to coat. Season with garlic pepper.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips.

We make a large amount of Baked Chicken to cube and freeze for later recipes like this one.
For a subtle layer of flavor, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the pot of boiling water before adding the pasta.
Cut and chop the different ingredients into bite-sized pieces.

Prep ahead. You can prepare the salad up to 24 hours in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. When ready to serve, add bacon, croutons, and dressing.

Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 759kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 50g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 87mg, Sodium: 1204mg, Potassium: 444mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1740IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 209mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.