This Caesar Pasta Salad with grilled chicken is bold, crisp, and refreshing. Tender pasta, crunchy romaine, and shaved Parmesan are tossed with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing. The garlicky, lemony dressing has no mayo, just a whole egg, anchovies, and a good punch of Parmesan. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
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About This Recipe
This Caesar Pasta Salad is packed with tender pasta, juicy grilled chicken, crisp romaine, plenty of Parmesan, and a bold homemade Caesar dressing that brings it all together.
The dressing is one of our absolute favorites that we’ve been making it for over 20 years! It’s lemony, cheesy, and garlicky with just a touch of hot sauce for warmth. It’s not mayo-based, but it does include a whole egg and anchovies (which melt into the dressing for that signature umami depth). This caesar pasta salad is fresh, filling, and perfect for dinner, lunch, or any summer gathering.
📋 Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce: I like to buy a whole head so I get both the leafy greens and crunchy hearts. It stays fresher longer and doesn’t wilt as quickly.
- Spiral pasta (like fusilli): Holds onto the dressing beautifully. Cook and cool completely before tossing.
- Grilled chicken breast: Sliced in half and pounded thin for even cooking and juicy texture.
- Parmesan cheese: Go for freshly shaved or grated, it really makes a difference.
- Garlic: Look for bulbs where the cloves feel tight and firm, which means they’re fresh.
- Anchovies: If anchovies in whole form feel intimidating, look for anchovy paste in a tube that is easier to work with.
- Whole egg: Adds richness and helps emulsify the dressing.
- Olive oil – Use good quality extra virgin for the dressing and to grill the chicken.
- Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco – Pantry staples that round out the dressing with depth and a little heat.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Lettuce swaps: Try arugula for a peppery kick or butter lettuce for a softer bite.
- Mix-ins: Add halved cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, or mozzarella balls to switch things up.
- Protein options: Substitute the chicken with grilled shrimp, grilled salmon, or even grilled steak. You can also make it meat-free with grilled portobello mushrooms or hearty roasted vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers.
- Egg addition: Sliced hard-boiled eggs are a classic Caesar addition and work beautifully here.
- Anchovy alternatives: If anchovies aren’t your thing, try a dash of fish sauce. It adds that same savory depth without the fillets.
⏲️ Instructions
Make the Caesar dressing.
Combine anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, egg, Dijon, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and Parmesan in a small food processor. Blend while streaming in olive oil until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Season and prep the chicken.
Slice chicken breasts horizontally and pound to an even thickness. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Grill the chicken. Grill chicken over medium-high heat for about 4–5 minutes per side, or until cooked through and nicely charred. Let it rest, then slice.
Assemble the salad. Toss chopped romaine, cooked and cooled pasta, sliced grilled chicken, and shaved Parmesan with the Caesar dressing. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top if desired.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Make ahead: You can grill the chicken and cook the pasta up to 3 days in advance. Keep them chilled, separately until ready to use.
- Dressing timing: For the freshest texture, toss the salad with dressing right before serving. That said, I’ve tossed everything together a few hours ahead, and it holds up well for about 1–2 days. After that, the lettuce can start to wilt.
- Let the chicken rest: After grilling, let the chicken cool completely before slicing. This keeps the juices in and makes it easier to chop cleanly.
- Chill it well: This salad is best served cold, so make sure all the components are fully cooled before assembling.
Serving Suggestions
This Caesar Pasta Salad is definitely a meal on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with grilled dishes. Try it with:
- Cedar Plank Salmon or Herb Crusted Salmon
- Grilled Tomahawk Steak
- Grilled corn on the cob or grilled vegetables
- Roasted Garlic Focaccia
- A crisp white wine or sparkling lemonade
More Salads To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Caesar Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
For the Caesar Dressing:
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3-4 anchovy fillets
- 1 whole egg
- 3-4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 –3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 –3 dashes Tabasco optional, if you like a kick
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
For the Grilled Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
For the Salad:
- 1 head of romaine lettuce chopped
- 8 oz spiral pasta such as fusilli, cooked and cooled
- Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
Make the Caesar Dressing:
- In a small food processor, add the anchovy fillets, egg, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and Tabasco (if using).
- Pulse until everything is finely blended and the mixture begins to emulsify.
- Add the grated Parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper, then pulse again just to combine.
- With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil to create a smooth, creamy dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then transfer to a jar or bowl and chill for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors marry.
Prep and Grill the Chicken:
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Place between plastic wrap or parchment and gently pound to an even thickness.
- Season the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika. Rub the mixture all over the chicken cutlets.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill chicken for 3–4 minutes per side or until cooked through with visible grill marks.
- Transfer to a plate, let cool completely, then slice or chop into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
Assemble the Salad:
- In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, cooked pasta, and grilled chicken.
- Drizzle Caesar dressing over the top and gently toss everything to combine.
- Garnish with shaved Parmesan and serve.
Notes
-
- Make ahead: You can grill the chicken and cook the pasta up to 3 days in advance. Keep them chilled, separately until ready to use.
- Dressing timing: For the freshest texture, toss the salad with dressing right before serving. That said, I’ve tossed everything together a few hours ahead, and it holds up well for about 1–2 days. After that, the lettuce can start to wilt.
- Let the chicken rest: After grilling, let the chicken cool completely before slicing. This keeps the juices in and makes it easier to chop cleanly.
- Try it with:
- Cedar Plank Salmon or Herb Crusted Salmon
- Grilled Tomahawk Steak
- Roasted Garlic Focaccia
- A crisp white wine or sparkling lemonade
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