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Refreshing yet hearty, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a flavorful combination of rotini pasta, romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and tender chicken. Serve it as a satisfying main or a delicious side that everyone will love.

overhead view of chicken caesar pasta salad in white serving dish

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Whenever I whip up my favorite chicken Caesar pasta salad, I feel like I’m enjoying the perfect meal. It’s bold, zesty, and packed with tender chicken, rotini pasta, crunchy croutons, and a Caesar dressing kick that brings it all home.

Why I love this recipe

I love anything I can toss in a bowl and call dinner, especially when it tastes this good. The Caesar dressing brings it all together, and the croutons? Don’t even get me started.

Ingredients

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this delicious chicken Caesar pasta salad, and you probably have most of them in your kitchen already!

rotini pasta
romaine lettuce
Caesar dressing
Parmesan cheese
store-bought or homemade croutons
rotisserie chicken

Step by step

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chopped romaine, Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese, and croutons. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
Top with cooked chicken. Serve immediately, or chill in the refrigerator for 15 – 30 minutes before serving for a colder pasta salad.

If you are not serving right away, leave out the croutons so they don’t get soft. Then add the croutons and give it a quick toss just before serving.

chicken caesar pasta salad ingredients in glass bowl

Tips for Best Results

Rinse the pasta with cold water after cooking to cool it down fast and keep the lettuce from wilting.
Use a rotisserie chicken to save time, and it adds a ton of flavor with no extra work.

white serving dish with chicken caesar pasta salad

Variation

When I want to play with flavors, I’ll mix in cherry tomatoes or even some bacon bits. For greens, kale holds up beautifully, and pasta-wise, whatever’s in the pantry works, such as penne and bowties are both solid picks.

Serving suggestion

It makes a great stand-alone meal, perfect when you want something easy but filling. Or, bring it to your next cookout or potluck. I’ll often serve it with a side of pesto garlic bread or a little chicken gnocchi soup to round out the meal.

fork picking up bite of chicken caesar pasta salad

More Salads

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Storage

While this dish is best served fresh, leftover pasta salad can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days. The croutons might get a bit soggy, so I usually toss in some fresh ones before eating.

If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!