Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

When Olivia and Alaina, my colleagues from the Commerce team, tasted this salad, they immediately declared it “the salad for people who love a salad.” And honestly, yes. This salad is more than just a word salad: It’s chicken salad, pasta salad, and Caesar salad, all in one. Think of it as pasta salad that’s more crunchy greens than stodgy pasta, or a green salad with the extra support and satiety of protein and carbs. The sharp, creamy Caesar dressing ties it all together. Either way, this is a fun, filling, crowd-pleasing dish that is excellent any time of year.

Recipe information

• Total Time

  45 minutes

• Yield

  4 servings

Total Time

45 minutes

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

8

6

2

1

⅓

2

2

2

1

3

1

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Cook 8 oz. medium shell pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain well and let cool in colander (about 20 minutes).

   Step 2

   Meanwhile, purée 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, 2 garlic cloves, 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper in a blender until smooth and creamy. Season dressing with kosher salt. (Alternatively you can finely chop anchovies and garlic, then whisk with remaining ingredients in a medium bowl to make the dressing.)

   Step 3

   Place 3 heads of Little Gem lettuce or 2 romaine hearts, leaves separated, torn if large, in a large bowl. Drizzle lightly with lemon juice, add a small pinch of salt, and season with pepper. Toss leaves gently to coat.

   Step 4

   Add 1 cup shredded skinless rotisserie chicken breast and reserved pasta to lettuce and drizzle dressing over. Using your hands, gently toss to combine.

   Step 5

   Transfer salad to a platter and top with shaved Parmesan.

Step 1

Cook 8 oz. medium shell pasta in a medium pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain well and let cool in colander (about 20 minutes).

Step 2

Meanwhile, purée 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, 2 garlic cloves, 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper in a blender until smooth and creamy. Season dressing with kosher salt. (Alternatively you can finely chop anchovies and garlic, then whisk with remaining ingredients in a medium bowl to make the dressing.)

Step 3

Place 3 heads of Little Gem lettuce or 2 romaine hearts, leaves separated, torn if large, in a large bowl. Drizzle lightly with lemon juice, add a small pinch of salt, and season with pepper. Toss leaves gently to coat.

Step 4

Add 1 cup shredded skinless rotisserie chicken breast and reserved pasta to lettuce and drizzle dressing over. Using your hands, gently toss to combine.

Step 5

Transfer salad to a platter and top with shaved Parmesan.

Recipe notes