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This Hen Caesar Pasta combines tender grilled hen, crisp romaine lettuce, savory parmesan, and crispy bacon, all tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing. It’s like your traditional Caesar salad and comforting pasta dish had a child—and it’s scrumptious. Good for a sizzling summer season day whenever you’re craving one thing hearty however don’t need to activate the oven. Whether or not you’re feeding a crowd at a summer season BBQ or whipping it up for a fast weeknight dinner, this recipe is a big hit.
Why You’ll Love This Hen Caesar Pasta Salad
This Hen Caesar Pasta is the right steadiness of contemporary, creamy, and savory. The juicy grilled hen provides protein, whereas the romaine lettuce brings a pleasant crunch. The bacon and parmesan? Properly, everyone knows cheese and bacon make every little thing higher. Plus, it’s straightforward to make, with elements you seemingly have available. Skip the standard hen pasta salad recipe and do that as a substitute. It’s the final word important dish that may additionally double as a chilly pasta salad for these summer season BBQs or a fast grab-and-go lunch.
Elements Wanted For Hen Caesar Pasta Salad
This would possibly simply be my favourite pasta salad! Be sure you have these elements available:
- Pasta – A shortcut pasta like farfalle or rotini pasta works nice. Prepare dinner till al dente in response to the bundle instructions.
- Hen breasts – Grilled to perfection after marinating in lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil.
- Romaine lettuce – Chopped contemporary and crisp for that good Caesar salad vibe.
- Bacon – Crispy, savory bacon brings all of it collectively. Oven baked bacon is very easy!
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly shaved or grated for additional taste.
- Croutons – Provides crunch to the salad.
- For the hen marinade – Further virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- For the dressing – Mayo, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, anchovy paste (non-obligatory however really helpful), parmesan, garlic, and black pepper.
A Notice About Anchovies
If you’re allergic to anchovies, you possibly can go away these out of the recipe, however be sure you add salt (to style). Anchovies have a excessive salt content material, which is why I left salt out of the dressing elements. When you assume you gained’t just like the style, don’t fear – you possibly can’t even inform they’re in there. They only give this dressing the important umami, salty flavoring.
Hen Caesar Pasta Salad Variations
- Swap grilled hen with rotisserie hen for a good faster possibility.
- Use rotini or penne as a substitute of bowtie pasta.
- Use cheddar cheese for a unique tacky twist.
- Crush the croutons to provide the entire salad texture.
- Skip the anchovies when you’re allergic or not a fan, and regulate the salt within the dressing.
- Add cherry tomatoes, pink onion, pink peppers or feta cheese for additional veggies and taste.
- Attempt a creamy ranch dressing as a substitute of Caesar for a unique twist.
How To Make Hen Caesar Pasta Salad
You possibly can skip the marinating and grilling of the hen if in case you have precooked hen available, both from leftovers, meal prep, or a store-bought rotisserie hen. For full recipe particulars, together with ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card on the backside of the submit. Listed below are my step-by-step directions for making this pasta salad:
1. Prepare dinner the Pasta
Boil water in a big pot of salted water. Prepare dinner pasta till al dente following the bundle instructions. Drain, rinse with chilly water (to stop sticking because the pasta cools to room temperature), and put aside.
2. Marinate the Hen
In a small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Add hen breasts and coat nicely. Let marinate whereas prepping different elements.
Professional Tip: Marinate the hen for no less than half-hour for optimum taste.
3. Grill the Hen
Preheat your out of doors or indoor grill to medium-high warmth and prepare dinner the hen till it reaches an inner temperature of 165° F. Minimize into bite-sized items.
4. Make the Dressing
Mix all dressing elements in a blender till easy. (It’s also possible to whisk all elements in a small bowl when you don’t have a blender.)
5. Assemble the Salad
In a big serving bowl, mix pasta, romaine, hen, bacon, parmesan, and croutons. Drizzle with dressing and toss to mix. Season with extra freshly cracked black pepper, if desired and serve.
Storage + Make Forward Instructions
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge. It’ll keep contemporary for as much as 3 days. I don’t suggest freezing this recipe. The romaine and pasta don’t maintain up nicely after thawing.
To Make Forward: You can also make this hen pasta salad recipe a few hours forward. Simply preserve the dressing and croutons separate till you’re able to serve.
Love Caesar Pasta Salad? Attempt These Different Caesar Recipes
This recipe is ideal for household dinners, potlucks, and at the same time as a chilly hen pasta salad on a sizzling summer season day. It’s straightforward, versatile, and assured to be a crowd-pleaser!
When you make this recipe, I’d actually recognize it when you would give it a star ranking and go away your evaluate within the feedback! If in case you have an image of your completed dish, submit it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Hen Caesar Pasta Salad
When you love Caesar salad and pasta then you will love my Hen Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe! Good for a pot luck, BBQ or dinner.
Elements
*for the hen marinade-
Directions
to assemble-
-
Place cooked pasta, romaine, grilled hen, bacon, parmesan cheese shavings, and croutons in a big salad bowl. Drizzle with the caesar dressing and toss to mix nicely. Season with extra freshly cracked black pepper, if desired and serve.
Notes
**If you’re allergic to anchovies, you possibly can go away these out of the recipe, however be sure you add salt (to style). Anchovies have a excessive salt content material, which is why I left salt out of the dressing elements. When you assume you gained’t just like the style, don’t fear – you possibly can’t even inform they’re in there. They only give this dressing the important umami, salty flavoring.
Vitamin
Energy: 715kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 32g | Fats: 43g | Saturated Fats: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 12g | Monounsaturated Fats: 18g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 566mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1.131IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2mg