Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad (Print version)

Grilled chicken and bacon join rotini, fresh greens, and a creamy dressing for a tasty, easy-to-make meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Bacon

07 - 4 slices bacon

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
10 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Caesar Dressing

11 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
14 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 - 2 anchovy fillets, finely minced (or 1 tsp anchovy paste; optional)
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
19 - 2 to 3 tbsp whole milk (to thin dressing as needed)

→ Toppings

20 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
21 - 1/2 cup croutons
22 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make:

01 - Boil salted water and cook rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
02 - Preheat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Grill or pan-sear chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
03 - Fry bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels and crumble once cooled.
04 - Whisk together mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced anchovies (if using), garlic, and black pepper in a bowl. Gradually add milk to achieve desired creamy texture.
05 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, grilled chicken, bacon crumbles, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and red onion slices (if desired).
06 - Pour Caesar dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until evenly coated.
07 - Top salad with shaved Parmesan, croutons, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that doesn't feel heavy, making you actually want to eat it even on warm days.
  • The dressing tastes restaurant-quality but takes five minutes to whisk together in your kitchen.
  • Bacon and Parmesan do most of the flavor work, so even simple ingredients become unforgettable.
02 -
  • Anchovies sound intimidating but they're the secret ingredient that makes this taste like Caesar dressing instead of mayo with herbs—don't skip them.
  • Rinsing hot pasta with cold water stops the cooking immediately, which is the difference between salad and a warm mush.
  • If you add the dressing more than an hour before serving, the lettuce will start releasing water and everything gets watery—dress it close to eating time.
03 -
  • Slice your chicken while it's still slightly warm so it takes on the dressing flavor better, then chill it before mixing into the pasta.
  • If your dressing breaks or looks separated, whisk in a tiny splash of milk and it'll come back together almost immediately.
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