Easy Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free)
This chicken Caesar pasta salad is one of those recipes I come back to again and again. It's creamy, crunchy, and packed with that garlicky Caesar flavor we all love. Made with gluten-free pasta, tender rotisserie chicken, crisp romaine, and a high-protein homemade Caesar dressing that honestly rivals anything from a bottle. Whether it's a quick weeknight dinner or the dish you bring to a summer potluck, this one always delivers.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken chopped. Can also use grilled chicken
- 12 oz gluten free fusilli pasta I use Jovial Foods brown rice fusilli
- 3 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup gluten free croutons
High Protein Caesar Dressing
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce look for gluten free
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ½ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt omit and use all mayo for dairy free
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese use ¼ cup nutritional yeast for dairy free
- ½ tsp salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. Add to a large bowl along with the chicken and chopped romaine lettuce.
- Add dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined and creamy. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Add the shredded parmesan cheese + croutons and enjoy!
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken is my go-to, but this salad is incredibly flexible. Grilled shrimp, seared salmon, or even sliced steak would all be amazing with the Caesar dressing.
- Want to keep it vegetarian? Skip the protein entirely, and you've got a beautiful Caesar pasta salad that works as a side dish for anything coming off the grill.
- Add the dressing right before serving. Pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, and nobody wants a dry pasta salad! If you're making this ahead, reserve a little extra dressing to toss in right before you serve.
- Same goes for the romaine and croutons: add them last so the lettuce stays crisp and the croutons stay crunchy. That fresh, crunchy contrast is what makes this dish so satisfying.
- For dairy free, use all mayo instead of Greek yogurt and ¼ cup nutritional yeast instead of parmesan for the dressing.
- I recommend serving fresh - the pasta absorbs the dressing overnight and it can become dry (and the lettuce gets soggy!) Save some dressing and re-toss if you're planning on serving the next day!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 692mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1633IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg