Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta is a fun and filling twist on classic Caesar Salad! Perfect for parties and potlucks, or simply dinner tonight.
Craving the freshness of a salad, but the satisfaction of a bowl of pasta?
Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta combines the two to create a pasta + lettuce salad that’s packed with protein and flavor!
The mixture of fresh and crispy salad with tender pasta, sizzling chicken, and creamy caesar dressing is craveable, and I am always so sad when the last bite is gone. It is that good.
Chicken Caesar Salad + Pasta
I love that this recipe is hearty enough to serve in the colder months, but light and fresh too. It’s perfect for serving as a spring dinner, or bringing along to a summer BBQ or potluck. There’s something so satisfying about adding rotini pasta to a classic caesar salad.
Much better than croutons, IMO!
This chicken caesar salad with pasta is a cinch to throw together and, if you are indeed serving it for dinner, it’s a complete meal in one so no need for extra side dishes.
Whole grains, lean protein, and lots of veggies: check, check, and check!
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need for this easy chicken caesar pasta salad recipe:
- Gluten free rotini. I love Jovial Brown Rice Pasta not just because the ingredient list is brown rice flour and water, but also because brown rice pasta doesn’t become hard and crumbly in the refrigerator like corn/rice-blend GF pasta does. If you don’t need to eat gluten free, you can use traditional rotini.
- Chicken breast. Are grilled then chopped into bite sized pieces and folded into the pasta salad. Feel free to use rotisserie chicken, Air Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken Breast, or Grilled Chicken Thighs if that’s easier.
- Romaine lettuce. I buy the bags of whole romaine hearts then chop them myself, but you could use a bag of pre-chopped romaine.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes. I like juicy cherry or grape tomatoes, but Romas are great too.
- Red onion. Adds zip, crunch, spice, and a beautiful pop of color.
- Parmesan cheese. 99% of the time I advise you freshly grate parmesan cheese before adding it to one of my recipes, but for this dish I recommend pre-shredded parmesan cheese so it doesn’t melt into the dish. I’ll show you my go-to brand below.
- Capers. Capers are tiny but pack an enormous flavor punch to each bite of this pasta salad recipe.
- Caesar Salad Dressing. I’m here to make your life easier so I recommend using store-bought dressing to dress this salad with. I’ll share my favorite brand of bottled Caesar Salad Dressing below.
Recipe Variations
While I truly feel like the combination of ingredients and flavors I’m sharing is *chef’s kiss*, feel free to try these recipe variations:
- Switch up the protein: swap roasted, sauted, or grilled shrimp for the chicken, or leave out the meat and use a can of chickpeas instead.
- Switch up the pasta: use brown rice bow ties or penne instead of the rotini — or your favorite pasta shape.
- Switch up the greens: toss in whatever greens you have in the fridge that need using up. Arugula would be delicious in here!
Alrighty – ready to feast?
Try this Fresh Pasta Salad
How to Make This Recipe
Start by adding gluten free rotini (also called fusilli) to a large pot of salted water then boil until tender. Drain the noodles then rinse under cold water until they’re completely cold and set aside.
Meanwhile, pound chicken breasts into an even thickness to ensure even cooking then season with pepper and homemade seasoned salt on both sides.
Place the chicken inside a grill pan over medium-high heat then grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through. Let rest for 10 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
Alternatively you could grill the chicken or chicken thighs on a gas or charcoal grill, or simply saute in a pan. I do REALLY love the grill flavor it adds to the chicken caesar pasta salad though!
To a large mixing bowl add the drained cold pasta plus chopped romaine lettuce, grape or cherry tomatoes, red onion, capers, shredded parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper.
Here’s the shredded parmesan cheese I love and recommend. It’s so convenient to not only add to this dish, but any other foods that benefit from a sprinkle of parm on top at the end before serving, like pasta!
Last step is to add your favorite bottled caesar salad dressing – I love Ken’s Creamy Caesar, which is of course gluten free. It’s thick, and savory, and cheesy – MMM!
Last step is to add the grilled chicken then devour! You can serve this dish immediately or chill for a couple of hours before serving. Again, if you’re using brown rice pasta, it stays softer in the fridge vs a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta.
I hope you love this super-tasty, must-try take on chicken caesar salad! Enjoy!
More Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Sesame Noodle Salad
- The BEST Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Grilled Corn and Avocado Pasta Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten free rotini/fusilli, Jovial recommended
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, pounded to an even thickness
- homemade seasoned salt and pepper, see notes
- 2 hearts of romaine, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1-1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 Tablespoons drained capers
- freshly cracked black pepper
- Caesar Salad Dressing, to taste, Ken's Creamy Caesar recommended
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add 1 Tablespoon salt followed by the rotini and simmer until tender. Drain then rinse under cold water until cool. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Alternatively you could use a gas or charcoal grill over medium-high heat, OR cook the chicken in a nonstick sprayed skillet. Season chicken on both sides with homemade seasoned salt and pepper then place inside grill pan and grill until cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a cutting board then let rest for 10 minutes. Chop into bite sized pieces then set aside. Can be done up to three days ahead of time.
- To a very large mixing bowl add the chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parmesan cheese shreds, capers, freshly cracked black pepper, cooled pasta, and Caesar salad dressing then toss with tongs to combine. Add chopped chicken then toss to combine and serve.
Notes
- Click here for my homemade seasoned salt recipe >
- I like Ken’s Creamy Caesar Dressing, though you can use whatever Caesar salad dressing you like best.
- Because this pasta salad is made with gluten free pasta, it’s best eaten right away or chilled for up to 2 hours prior to serving. You may need to toss with additional dressing before serving if chilling first. Brown rice pasta will stay softer after being chilled vs a corn/rice blend gluten free pasta.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
This pasta salad recipe is just fantastic! My husband and I could not believe how delicious it was! I think I will have to make it again tonight! I made it with regular pasta since we are not a GF family. Holy moly it is good!
This is now my new favorite salad….of course I love all your recipes, but this one was perfect for this season. Also…….we LOVED The Morning Show too. Could NOT stop watching it! Can’t wait until season 3! Thanks for your great ideas. Loving my parfait yogurt fruit cups too!
Oh my gosh, I’m THRILLED to hear that, Karen!! Miss you guys!!
It looks so great and delicious :) I would like to try it next time! Thanks for sharing.
I hope you love it!
Don’t know what url means so skipped it.
Just wondering if you ever put what points of WW each recipe has???
Hi Marie! I don’t at this time!
So easy and delicious!!!
I’m so glad you loved the dish, Rene!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Very, very tasty! Will definitely make again!
Thrilled to hear it, Diane! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is delicious! Restaurant quality!!
Thrilled to hear it – thank you so much for the review, Amy!
Delicious! I mix up a half batch omitting the romaine and putting just enough dressing on to add flavor and keep fresh in the refrigerate. Over a couple of days I dish some up and stir in the romaine just before serving and add a bit more dressing if needed. Crispy romaine every time!
Perfect!! I’m so glad you are loving the dish, Diane!
I absolutely LOVE this salad I’ve made it at least three times in the last week!! And also made an easy vegetarian version by just omitting the chicken and it was still beyond filling and delicious!!
WOO! So glad you loved, Kristen! I eat it without the chicken too – still so good!
Great idea adding capers!!! I love them so much. Will your kids eat them?
My kids don’t mind capers – they love all things pickle-ish!
So many of your recipes are in my regular dinner rotation, and this one looks like it’s going to join the others. Can’t wait to try it!
I am so thrilled to hear that, Monica! I hope you love this dish – it really is so so good!
This looks amazing and you described exactly why I hate making gluten free pasta – it doesn’t stay well when cold and is awful for leftovers.
So excited to try a new noodle! I’m in the DSM metro, where do you happen to pick this brand up?
Yes!! I find Jovial at Hy-Vee and Whole Foods, and I believe I’ve seen them at Super Target before too.
Tiiiiiiiight. We’re meat-free but pro-gluten(is that a thing? And if it is and it’s dumb, I apologize), chickpeas are so good. This seems a little like a Greek pasta salad my auntie makes except I prefer the way this one sounds. ????
When I was nursing our youngest I had to eat GF of course, but since she is also allergic to eggs and dairy I had to cut those out too. So, for many months I was a meat eating gluten free vegan. HA! We are whatever we say we are, so meat free pro gluten it is! I hope you love this one, Heather!