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Creamy Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe for Parties taken with iphone 15 pro max --iw 2 --ar 4:5 --v 6.0 --raw

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe

This Caesar Pasta Salad is as addictingly scrumptious as they come, make ahead friendly and will have everyone talking at potlucks, picnics and parties! It’s a hypnotic balance of tender pasta, fresh, crisp Romaine lettuce, crunchy croutons and rich, salty Parmesan all bathed in my WAY-better-than-store-bought, bright, tangy, garlicky, Caesar Dressing.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 servings
Calories 600 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Skillet Large

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients

  • 16 oz medium pasta like bowtie, rotini or penne
  • 4 hearts Romaine lettuce chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 orange bell pepper chopped
  • 2 cups croutons
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 large chicken breasts seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
  • 8 fillets anchovy
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • Dijon mustard
  • balsamic vinegar
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • minced garlic
  • salt
  • pepper
  • freshly grated Parmesan
  • milk to get it just right

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • First, cook your pasta in boiling water according to the package, but don’t overdo it — you want it a little firm since it'll sit with the salad. Drain it and set aside to cool a bit.
  • In a skillet, melt unsalted butter and add olive oil over medium heat. This combo makes the chicken extra tasty and juicy when cooked.
  • Rub your chicken breasts down with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano, thyme, pepper and cayenne pepper for a mix that packs a punch but won’t overwhelm.
  • Place the chicken in the warm skillet and cook 5-7 minutes each side until totally done. You can hear it sizzle and smell it crisp up, dang it’s inviting.
  • Take the chicken off and let it rest so the juices settle. Then slice it up into strips you can toss with the salad.
  • Mix the pasta, Romaine, tomatoes, bell pepper, croutons, and Parmesan cheese in a big bowl. Whip up the dressing by blending anchovies, sour cream, mayo, lemon, Dijon, balsamic, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan, and a bit of milk till smooth. Pour that gorgeous dressing over everything, top with chicken strips and toss gently. Serve right away or chill till dinner.

Notes

Store leftovers with dressing separate to avoid soggy salad.