Description
A quick and comforting pasta salad with tender chicken, creamy Caesar dressing, and crunchy romaine, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces short pasta (penne or rotini)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast
- 3/4 cup Caesar dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Croutons or toasted breadcrumbs, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with a splash of olive oil.
- While the pasta cooks, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and a little garlic. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Let rest, then slice thinly.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, halved cherry tomatoes, and grated Parmesan.
- Whisk together Caesar dressing, lemon juice, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the warm pasta and sliced chicken to the bowl with greens. Pour the dressing over and toss gently.
- Finish with a sprinkle of extra Parmesan and crunchy croutons or toasted breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with charred tofu or roasted chickpeas. Keep the dressing and cooked chicken separate until serving to maintain crispness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: chicken caesar, pasta salad, quick dinner, easy recipe, weeknight meal