Caesar Pasta Salad

On the surface, it seems like such an obvious idea; combine pasta salad with perhaps the most popular salad in America. Sounds deliciously straightforward! This Caesar Pasta Salad brings the body and heartiness of a pasta salad to a crisp bed of lettuce, which in turn serves up a colossal amount of flavor. You’ve got the savory grilled chicken, the crunchy croutons, the sharp parmesan, and that classic homemade, creamy, zesty dressing. Can you imagine a better pasta salad than Caesar Pasta Salad? It would be hard to do!

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons anchovy paste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

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For the salad:

• 3/4 pound penne or other medium pasta
• 2-3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cajun seasoning, to taste
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup croutons
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• lemon wedges, optional, for serving

Directions

Step 1 –Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Step 2 –In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, the Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup of the parmesan, the lemon juice, the garlic, the anchovy paste, the mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, the salt, and the pepper.

Step 3 –Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.

Step 4 –Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.

Step 5 –Run the pasta under cold water and drain it well.

Step 6 –Season the chicken breasts with the olive oil, the Cajun seasoning, the salt, and the pepper.

Step 7 –Grill the seasoned chicken breasts until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes.

Step 8 –Let the chicken rest until cooled.

Step 9 –Chop or slice the chicken.

Step 10 –Combine the pasta, the chicken, the lettuce, the croutons, the remaining parmesan, and the bacon in a large bowl.

Step 11 –Dress the salad with the desired amount of dressing.

Step 12 –Serve immediately with the lemon wedges.