Description
A quick and delicious Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad that combines tender cooked pasta, crisp bacon, shredded Parmesan, and chopped rotisserie chicken, all tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing with fresh romaine lettuce. Perfect for a light lunch or easy weeknight meal, ready in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta & Meat
- 1 cup dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 tbsp bacon grease*
- 1 cup cooked rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped
Vegetables & Cheese
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups chopped romaine or green leaf lettuce
Dressing & Others
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup Caesar dressing, or more to taste
- 1 cup croutons (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, then set aside to cool.
- Prepare Bacon: Cook the bacon slices until crisp in a skillet. Remove the bacon, crumble it when cool, and reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease for flavoring.
- Combine Ingredients: Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl and toss it with the reserved bacon grease until well-coated. Add the cooked rotisserie chicken, crumbled bacon, thinly sliced red onion, shredded Parmesan cheese, and chopped romaine lettuce. Stir thoroughly to combine evenly.
- Add Dressing: Pour in the Caesar dressing and toss all ingredients to evenly coat the salad. Add more dressing according to your taste if needed.
- Serve: Add croutons if desired and serve the salad immediately for the best texture and freshness.
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds flavorful cooked chicken to the salad.
- Rinsing pasta under cold water stops the cooking and prevents it from becoming mushy.
- Reserve bacon grease carefully as it adds a smoky flavor to the salad.
- The salad is best served immediately to keep croutons crunchy.
- Feel free to add extra veggies like cherry tomatoes or cucumbers for added freshness.
