Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken pasta salad on a platter with two spoons.

5 from 1 vote

Meet your new favorite dish --- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad! This tasty twist on a classic combines tender chicken, fresh kale, and perfectly cooked pasta, all tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing. With the addition of sweet + savory candied bacon, it's a hearty, refreshing meal that's perfect for lunch, dinner, or any time you need a deliciously satisfying bite. Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Meatless, Vegan + Make-ahead Options.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Salad

Keyword: chicken, chicken salad, easy, family-friendly, kid-friendly, lunch, pasta, quick, salad, spring, summer, weeknight, weeknight meals, winter

Servings: servings

Calories: 582kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

2 lbs. organic chicken breasts
2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

PASTA SALAD:

1 (16 oz.) package Your fave shortcut pasta (I used Rotini pasta)
1 bunch organic kale (You can keep things traditional with romaine lettuce or other mix of greens)
1 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
2 cups chopped candied bacon, optional

CREAMY CAESAR DRESSING:

1 cup Caesar Dressing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BAKE THE CHICKEN:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
If you marinate your chicken overnight in the refrigerator, remove and let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before adding to prepared baking sheet and baking it for for 30-35 minutes or until fully cooked through. NOTE: When done, the chicken should look "dark" in color from the seasoning and crusted, but juicy + clear on the inside. Remove from oven and slice into "strip-like' chicken or chunks, if preferred.

BOIL THE PASTA:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and add your fave shortcut pasta and cook according to packaging, about 8-10 minutes in most cases. Once cooked, drain, and lightly toss in olive oil (to prevent sticking together), cool and set aside.

TO MAKE THE CAESAR DRESSING:

Add the ingredients together using my Caesar Dressing recipe!

CHOP + MASSAGE THE KALE:

Strip the leaves from the bunch of kale and discard the stems if you haven't already. Roughly chop the leaves and add them to a large bowl. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil atop chopped kale and using clean hands, rub together the kale gently for about 2-3 minutes to soften the leaves and help to infuse the 'flavors' of the kale.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:

To the bowl with the kale, add the sliced cooked chicken, cooled pasta, grated parmesan, chopped bacon (if using), and the Caesar dressing, tossing everything together. NOTE: You can add the dressing to the salad when tossing OR set aside until serving.
To serve, add the salad to your bowl(s) and add additional grated parmesan, if desired.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, depending on the ingredients. Always determine the ingredients in your salad and keep it no longer than the shelf life of your fastest-spoiling ingredient.
MAKE AHEAD: The baked chicken and pasta can be made up to 2 days beforehand and stored in an airtight container (separately) and refrigerated. While the candied bacon (if using) can be made and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheated. The dressing can be made and refrigerated in a separate airtight container. The salad can be chopped up to 30 minutes before serving.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this salad GF-friendly, just ensure that the pasta is GF-friendly as well as any ingredients in the dressing that may be needed.
VEGAN OPTION: See post for Meatless options for the topping of this salad instead of chicken.
GREENS: If preferred, you can always add greens like Romaine lettuce, Arugula, Mustard Greens, Microgreens, Spinach or Collard Greens to this salad for added flavor + texture.

Nutrition