Pesto Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

5 from 2 votes

Pesto Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Meet your new favorite summer pasta salad! This incredible Pesto Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad features pesto-grilled chicken, crisp romaine, toasty Panko, and al dente pasta tossed in a pesto-infused Caesar dressing

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Salad/Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Equipment

Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
Large skillet
Mixing bowls

Ingredients

12 oz. DeLallo shellbows pasta (or short-cut pasta shape of choice)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced horizontally into cutlets
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp. DeLallo Pesto
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce (from 2 romaine hearts)
1/3 cup grated or shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves

Pesto Caesar Dressing

1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. DeLallo pesto
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 anchovy fillets, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, place chicken in a large bowl and pat dry with a paper towel. Lightly season chicken all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and 3 Tbsp. pesto; toss to coat.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add panko and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the panko is nicely browned and toasted. Transfer to a bowl.
To the same pan (no need to wipe clean), arrange chicken breasts and cook, undisturbed, for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely seared. Turn, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the juices run clear and chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate or cutting board.
Prepare Pesto Caesar Dressing by combining all dressing ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine. Taste and season with a pinch of salt (or extra cracked black pepper), if needed.
To a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, romaine, most of toasted panko (I like to reserve 1 to 2 Tablespoons for garnish), Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and fresh basil.
Cut chicken into small bite-sized pieces and add to the pasta salad, along with the Pesto Caesar Dressing. Toss well to combine. Garnish with reserved panko, extra grated cheese (optional), and extra fresh basil (also optional).

Notes

- In place of (or in addition to) the chicken, this pasta salad is also DELICIOUS with crispy prosciutto.
  - - To make crispy prosciutto, bake thin slices of prosciutto at 400ºF for 9 to 12 minutes, until they begin to shrivel and crisp. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before crumbling into pieces.
  - - Alternatively, you can crisp prosciutto pieces on the stovetop in a pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until crisp.

- Other option add-ins: sliced cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, or thinly sliced red onion.

- Make Gluten Free: Swap the shellbows for DeLallo Gluten Free Fusilli Pasta, or your favorite gluten free pasta brand/shape. You can also use a gluten free panko, or swap the breadcrumbs for pine nuts.
- Make-Ahead. The Pesto Caesar Dressing can be prepared 1 to 2 days ahead. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also begin marinating the chicken in pesto up to 24 hours in advance.
- Store: Transfer leftover pasta salad to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 days. The lettuce will soften, however the noodles will retain their al dente bite. To help rehydrate the noodles upon enjoying leftovers, I suggest adding a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and/or spritz of fresh lemon juice (which will also help rewaken the flavors).

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