Description
This chicken Caesar pasta salad is a summer dinner dream – pasta, grilled chicken, crisp romaine & homemade Caesar dressing in one delicious bowl!
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 8 oz. cavatappi pasta (or other curly pasta)
- 1 head romaine lettuce or 2 hearts (about 6-8 cups sliced)
- grated parmesan cheese for serving (shred yourself with microplane zester)
- 1 lb. chicken breast tenders
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Caesar Dressing:
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Tbsp. anchovy paste
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon, ok if it’s less)
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. canola oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions to al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.
- Make dressing. Grate garlic with microplane zester into a medium bowl or jar. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, dijon, and salt. Whisk together and then slowly whisk in olive oil and canola oil until emulsified. (If using a jar, shake until emulsified.)
- Make breadcrumbs. Melt butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add panko bread crumbs. Stir frequently and cook until golden brown, removing from heat and transferring to a bowl immediately to stop cooking.
- Grill chicken. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Let rest and then dice into small pieces.
- While the chicken is cooking, thinly slice romaine lettuce. Add cooked pasta, chicken, and lettuce to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss together. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, crispy breadcrumbs, flaky sea salt, and black pepper to taste.
Notes
Storage: Store leftover components in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. Because the homemade Caesar dressing contains raw egg yolk, it’s best enjoyed within a day. For best results, store the dressing, breadcrumbs, and salad separately and assemble just before eating.
Ingredients: Anchovy paste is the easiest option for the dressing since it’s already in paste form – look for it in a tube near the canned fish. If you only have canned anchovies, just mash them into a paste before adding. For the pasta, any short curly shape works well; curly shapes do a better job of catching the dressing than straight pasta.
Prep Ahead: Several components can be prepped ahead to make this come together even faster: toast the breadcrumbs and store at room temperature, wash and dry the romaine, make the Caesar dressing (store in the fridge), and grill the chicken (slice just before serving so it doesn’t dry out).
Tools: A microplane zester is key here – it grates the garlic directly into a fine paste for the dressing and makes quick work of the Parmesan. Worth having if you don’t already.
Serve With: Garlic bread or a crusty baguette pairs perfectly alongside. For a fuller spread, add a simple fruit salad or watermelon wedges to round out the summer meal.