Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This pasta salad recipe, featuring penne and Caesar salad, is a hearty, filling, and refreshing side for lunch, potlucks, or summer dinners. It's best served fresh, as making it ahead can cause lettuce to wilt. The homemade Caesar dressing is recommended for the best pasta salad experience.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 1 lb. Penne
- 1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. Garlic powder Kosher salt
- 1 c. Chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 c. Halved grape tomatoes
- 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/2 c. croutons
- 2/3 c. Caesar dressing Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp. Freshly chopped parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook penne in salted boiling water until al dente, drain, and transfer to a large bowl.
- Heat oil in a large skillet and season chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Cook until golden, then let rest 10 minutes, then cut into 1" pieces.
- Add romaine, tomatoes, Parmesan, croutons, and chicken to pasta bowl.
- Combine Caesar dressing, lemon juice, and parsley in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, then pour over the penne mixture and mix thoroughly.