Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This chicken Caesar Pasta salad is a combination dish ideal for the grilling season. A creamy, delicious Caesar dressing pulls all the elements together, marrying red onion, romaine lettuce, and penne pasta. Succulent chicken adds heartiness and protein, and bacon gives a richening final touch. This is the perfect dish to enjoy all summer long.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 591kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne pasta
- 1 head romaine heart lettuce chopped
- ½ medium red onion sliced
- 8 oz bacon browned and crumbled
- 1 lb chicken breast
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Parmesan shards (for garnish)
For the Caesar dressing
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 filets anchovies
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup whole-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once tender, drain and rinse the pasta to stop the cooking. Set it aside to cool.
- Cook the bacon. Using a grill pan, grill, or skillet, cook the bacon until it is browned and crisp on both sides, 6-8 minutes.
- Cook the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to an even thickness, about ¼-inch thick. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Use a grill pan or stand-alone grill to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 160°F, 3-5 minutes per side. Once cooked, remove from the heat and set it aside. The carry-over cooking will bring the finished breasts to an internal temperature of 165°F. Alternatively, the chicken can be drizzled with olive oil and roasted in a 375°F oven for 12-15 minutes. Once cooled, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the dressing. Chop and mash together the minced garlic and anchovy filets until they form a paste. In a bowl, combine the paste, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the prepared pasta, chopped romaine, red onion, crumbled bacon, and diced chicken. Add half of the dressing and toss to combine. Add the remaining dressing as desired. Garnish with shards of Parmesan and serve.
Video
Notes
Pounding the chicken to create a uniform thickness makes it cook evenly. It evens out the breasts, meaning they will cook at the same rate all the way through. However, you do not need to pound them super thin as would be done for a Chicken Parmesan; just an even thickness.
Cook the chicken and bacon in the same pan. This reduces dish cleanup while imparting some of the bacon's flavor to the chicken.
Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking. It also rinses off any excess starches. Unlike making pasta with hot sauce, the extra starches from the noodles are unnecessary for binding in this recipe.
Taste for seasoning on the dressing and adjust accordingly. The different elements can shift the balance depending on the ingredients used. Add black pepper and kosher salt as necessary.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 591kcal
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