High-Protein Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Diet: High-Protein
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz High-protein or lentil-based rotini pasta
- 2 cups Cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
- 4 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cup Shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup Light Caesar dressing (or Greek yogurt-based dressing)
- 1 cup Whole grain croutons
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Cracked black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the high-protein pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water immediately to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
- While the pasta is cooling, wash and chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place the lettuce into a large mixing bowl. If you are using whole chicken breasts, slice or shred them into manageable chunks.
- Add the cooled pasta, cooked chicken, and shaved Parmesan cheese to the bowl with the lettuce. If you are using cherry tomatoes for extra color and nutrients, add them in now as well.
- Pour the Caesar dressing over the mixture. Add the fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper. Toss everything together thoroughly until the pasta and lettuce are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Just before serving, fold in the croutons. This ensures they stay crunchy and don’t get soggy from the dressing. Give it one last gentle toss and serve immediately.