This chicken Caesar pasta salad combines everything you love about Caesar salad with the comfort of pasta for a meal that’s creamy, savory, and seriously satisfying. It’s lightened up and protein-packed, making it a smart, filling option for lunch, dinner, or easy meal prep.
Need more healthy pasta salads? Try my cilantro lime pasta salad, protein pasta salad, or chicken pesto pasta salad.
Why you’ll love this dietitian-made recipe
- Seriously satisfying: With juicy chicken, tender pasta, and parmesan tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing, this pasta salad hits every craving and actually keeps you full.
- Texture perfection: You get the perfect mix of crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, and creamy dressing in every bite.
- Light but filling: The homemade dressing is lighter than store-bought, and the balanced mix of carbs, protein, and fat makes this a complete meal.
p.s. My homemade Caesar dressing is next-level. You can use store-bought (totally okay in a pinch!), but mine is super quick and way more flavorful.
If you want more filling salads, try my quinoa edamame salad, Greek bean salad, or Italian grinder bean salad.
Key ingredients and swaps
- Pasta: I like farfalle or bowtie pasta, but any medium-sized pasta shape will work like penne, fusilli, or even macaroni. Choose a protein pasta for extra nutrition — this will hold up in the fridge better than chickpea or lentil pasta, although those are great options too.
- Croutons: Use garlic croutons for extra flavor. I also recommend tossing these in a sealed plastic bag and crushing them with the back of a spoon — this helps you use fewer croutons while still getting some crunch in every bite.
- Rotisserie chicken: The easiest way to get perfectly cooked and well-seasoned chicken. If you’d prefer to make your own chicken, you can, but it won’t be quite as quick and easy.
- Homemade dressing: This recipe includes a delicious but light homemade dressing with greek yogurt, mayonnaise, parmesan, lemon, and more. It’s super yummy and well-balanced, but feel free to buy your own dressing to make life easier.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
Dietitian upgrades
Make this chicken caesar pasta salad even more filling and nutritious with these simple swaps or additions:
- Use white meat rotisserie chicken for less fat and calories
- Swap white pasta for protein pasta for more protein and fiber
- Ditch the croutons and use crunchy roasted chickpeas instead
- Use a store-bought yogurt caesar dressing to make it super easy
As a dietitian, I make high-fiber and high-protein recipes to help you feel full and support overall health. Learn more about the top high-fiber foods and download this high-protein foods list.
How to make chicken caesar pasta salad
Step 1: Cook pasta in salted water and drain.
Step 2: Add to a bowl with other salad ingredients.
Step 3: Whisk dressing in a separate bowl or measuring cup.
Step 4: Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
Meal prep and storage instructions
- Meal prep with kale: Consider swapping romaine for kale since it’s a bit more sturdy. That way, you can prepare and dress the salad as normal and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
- Meal prep with romaine: If you’d prefer to stick to romaine, add all salad ingredients to single-serve food containers and store the dressing separately. Toss in dressing right before eating.
- Your caesar pasta salad will stay good in the fridge for up to four days, as long as your rotisserie chicken was fresh. Do not freeze this recipe.
Top tips
- Rinse your pasta after cooking: This prevents the noodles from sticking together, which is especially important for cold pasta salads.
- Chop the chicken small: Dice rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces so it blends in with the pasta instead of overpowering it.
- Add croutons last: Crushed croutons add the perfect crunch but can get soggy fast — sprinkle them on right before eating.
Common questions
Yes, chicken caesar pasta salad is perfect for meal prep. Consider swapping romaine for kale since it’s more sturdy. That way, you can prepare and dress the salad as normal and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Or, if you’d prefer to stick to romaine, add all salad ingredients to single-serve food containers and store the dressing separately. Toss in dressing right before eating. It will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days as long as the chicken was fresh when you prepped it.
Yes, you can use storebought caesar dressing in this pasta salad. For a nutritious option, choose a yogurt-based caesar dressing from the refrigerated section — these tend to have less fat and fewer calories.
Yes, protein pasta is a great way to boost the nutrition in your pasta salad. I recommend something like Barilla Protein+ since it holds up well in the fridge. You could try whole wheat, chickpea pasta, or lentil pasta, but they tend to break apart more easily, and aren’t my preferred choice for pasta salad.
More filling salad recipes
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Salad
Greek Bean Salad
Cottage Cheese Salad
Quinoa Edamame Salad
Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Equipment
- medium-sized pot
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ box (454 grams) farfalle pasta, or any medium-sized pasta shape
- 1 medium romaine heart, chopped
- 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup garlic croutons, lightly crushed
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
Caesar Dressing
- ½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise, I like olive oil mayo
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain, and immediately rinse under cold water to prevent noodles from sticking as they cool. Set aside.
- Add all ingredients for your Caesar dressing to a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Add more water as needed to thin your dressing.
- To a separate large mixing bowl, add cooked and cooled pasta, romaine, chicken, tomatoes, croutons, hemp hearts, and parmesan. Pour dressing over top, and toss to combine.
Notes
- 1 medium romaine heart = 4 cups of chopped romaine, packed.
- For meal prep, use 4 cups of chopped kale instead of romaine since it holds up better in the fridge. Or, store the dressing separately and add right before serving.
- Feel free to swap whole milk Greek yogurt for low fat if preferred. It’s a little less creamy and more tangy, but still delicious.
- Choose protein pasta or whole wheat for extra nutrition.
- Use a store bought dressing for super easy prep.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
