Dairy Free Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Chicken caesar pasta salad has crunchy romaine, juicy chicken, fresh tomato, homemade croutons, and tender pasta tossed in a homemade caesar dressing. This delicious recipe is dairy free and can easily be made gluten free.
Ingredients
Baked Chicken
- 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder and onion powder
- ½ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt ¼ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Chickpea Croutons (optional)
- 15 ounce can drained and rinsed chickpeas also called garbanzo beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon EACH garlic powder and onion powder
- ½ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt ¼ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Caesar Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces dry fusilli or rotini pasta
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- dairy free caesar dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside another baking sheet without parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken breasts with olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Transfer the seasoned chicken to the prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into cubes.
- Dry the chickpeas with a clean kitchen towel. Discard any skins that fall off. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet (without parchment paper). Toss with olive oil and the seasonings then spread into a single layer.
- Roast the chickpeas for 30 minutes at 400ºF, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. When the chickpeas are done, they’ll be a deep golden brown color with a crispy exterior.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water, shaking off any excess.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooked pasta, cubed chicken, chopped romaine, halved cherry tomatoes, and caesar salad dressing until well combined. Top with crispy chickpea croutons or traditional croutons just before serving.
Notes
See the blog post for helpful tips and storage instructions.