Description
A quick and tasty Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad that combines tender chicken, pasta, crunchy croutons, and fresh romaine lettuce all tossed in rich Caesar dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oil (like olive oil)
- 8 ounces dry penne pasta
- 1 1/2 cups croutons
- 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 3/4 cup Caesar dressing
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a bowl, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Once done, remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside to cool.
- Cube the Chicken: Once the chicken has cooled, cut it into cubes and set it aside.
- Cook the Pasta: While the chicken is cooking, prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and let it cool.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cubed chicken, cooked pasta, croutons, chopped romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, and grated parmesan cheese. Toss everything together until well mixed.
- Serve: Transfer the pasta salad to a serving bowl and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute the penne pasta with any pasta shape of your choice.
- For a lighter version, consider using low-fat Caesar dressing.
- This salad can be made ahead of time; just add the croutons just before serving to maintain their crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 70mg