Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This caesar pasta salad offers an incredible medley of flavors. Crispy lettuce, pasta, and tasty chicken, all dressed with a homemade caesar dressing. Although this salad is simple, the flavors are incredibly elevated.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 6 oz uncooked pasta
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 5 bacon strips
- 1 large romaine heart
- 1 cup croutons
- 1 recipe for caesar dressing
Instructions
- Using a meat mallet, beat the chicken breast to an even thickness and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil on a skillet and sear the chicken for 2 minutes on both sides. Proceed to turn the heat down, cover with the lid, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Chop up the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- In a pot of salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions, strain, and rinse with cold water.
- Cut bacon into small pieces and cook until crispy. Use a paper towel to blot excess fat.
- Chop lettuce and cut tomatoes in half.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients along with the dressing.
- Finish with croutons, and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: If you’d like to store this salad for later, don’t dress the entire thing, and mix all the ingredients with the dressing when you are ready to eat.
- Crispy lettuce: To achieve crisp lettuce, rinse your lettuce in ice-cold water and pat dry.
- Wait for the chicken and bacon to come to room temperature before tossing the salad.