Description
This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a delicious twist on the classic salad, combining tender pasta, crisp romaine lettuce, cooked chicken, crispy bacon, Parmesan cheese, and croutons, all tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing. It’s perfect for a light lunch, dinner, or as a side dish for potlucks and barbecues.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dry pasta (such as rotini, penne, or fusilli), cooked al dente
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled, reserve 1 tbsp bacon grease
- 1 tablespoon reserved bacon grease (see notes)
- 1 cup cooked rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped (or other cooked chicken)
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce (or green leaf lettuce)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup Caesar dressing (store-bought or homemade), or more to taste
- 1 cup croutons (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta well. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process. Drain well again.
- Cook Bacon: While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon until crispy using your preferred method (skillet, oven, or microwave). Once cooked, drain on paper towels and crumble or chop it. Crucially, reserve 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon grease.
- Coat Pasta: In a large bowl, combine the cooled, drained pasta and the reserved 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Toss gently until the pasta is evenly coated. This adds extra flavor.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the chopped rotisserie chicken, thinly sliced red onion, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped romaine lettuce, and the crumbled bacon to the bowl with the pasta.
- Add Dressing: Pour the Caesar dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Toss Salad: Toss gently until all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Season to Taste: Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper to your preference. Taste and add more Caesar dressing if desired.
- Add Croutons (Optional): If using croutons, add them just before serving to maintain their crunchiness. Toss gently one last time.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pasta: Use a short pasta shape that holds dressing well, such as rotini, penne, fusilli, or small shells. Cook it al dente so it doesn’t become mushy.
- Bacon Grease: Tossing the pasta with a little bacon grease adds a savory depth of flavor. If you prefer not to use bacon grease, you can toss the pasta with a teaspoon of olive oil instead to prevent sticking.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a convenient option, but you can use any cooked chicken (grilled, baked, or leftover).
- Caesar Dressing: Use your favorite store-bought or homemade Caesar dressing.
- Croutons: Add croutons just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- Make-Ahead: You can cook the pasta, bacon, and chicken ahead of time. Assemble the salad just before serving, or up to a few hours ahead, adding the croutons last. The salad is best enjoyed fresh.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge.