Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad offers a delicious and satisfying twist on a beloved classic, guaranteed to leave your taste buds wanting more.
Servings: 16
Calories: 486kcal
Equipment
- 8-quart mixing bowl or Giant Size Aluminum Pasta Pan (19.5" x 11.6" x 3.1")
- half-sheet pan
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
- 1 lb Dry Pasta Radiatori, rotini, penne, or farfalle
- 1 lb Cooked & Cubed Chicken Breasts
- 16 oz Caesar Salad Dressing divided
- 1 lb Bacon cooked and crumbled; reserve about ¼ c. to sprinkle on top
- 1 c Shaved Parmesan Cheese reserve about ¼ c. to sprinkle on top
- 1 Romaine Lettuce Head washed and dried; about 2 cups packed tightly
- 5 oz Caesar Croutons about 2 cups; reserve about ½ c. to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions, minus one minute from al dente. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander set in your kitchen sink and rinse it with cold water. Fill a large bowl that your colander will sit in completely with ice water. Then, place the pasta-filled colander into the ice bath, making sure that all of the pasta is in the water. Use your hand to stir the pasta around in the cold water for about a minute or two so that it cools.
- Once the pasta has cooled, dump the ice water from the bowl and place the colander back into the bowl to allow the water to drain from the pasta. Place a double layer of paper towels on a half-sheet pan and dump the pasta from the colander onto the paper towels. Use your hands to spread the pasta out into an even layer. Place another double layer of paper towels on top of the pasta and gently press on the paper towels, rocking your hands back and forth and from side to side, to dry the pasta as completely as possible.
- Place the cooled pasta, along with the cooked and cubed chicken breasts into an 8-qt. mixing bowl.1 Then, pour 1 ½ c. Caesar salad dressing on top and stir the dressing into the pasta and chicken, making sure that everything is well coated.
- Next, add the cooked and crumbled bacon and the shaved parmesan cheese. Then, stir the bacon and cheese into the dressed pasta and chicken.2
- When you're ready to serve the salad, add the romaine lettuce, Caesar croutons, and an additional ½ cup of Caesar salad dressing. Then, stir everything with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to combine.
- Top with reserved bacon, parmesan cheese, and croutons. Serve immediately.
- Yield 16 servings
Notes
- I started by using my 4-quart Pyrex glass mixing bowl. However, this bowl ultimately proved to be too small for the finished salad. If you're making this a day in advance, I recommend this size bowl because it will easily fit in the refrigerator. However, if you're making this the same day you're serving it, I recommend using either an extra-large 8-quart mixing bowl or a Giant-Size Aluminum Pasta Pan (19.5" x 11.6" x 3.1").
- I decided to make this salad a day in advance, so that the flavors could meld together and the pasta and the chicken could absorb some of the dressing. I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerated it overnight. I waited until right before serving it to add the romaine lettuce, croutons, and remaining ½ c. dressing.
- This recipe makes quite a lot, it can easily be cut in half!
Nutrition
Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 725mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 233IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg
