• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Half-Scratched

delicious shouldn't be difficult

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Work with me
  • Recipes
  • appetizers
  • main dishes
  • desserts
  • DIY
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

July 17, 2019 by Emily Hill 18 Comments

There’s chicken Caesar salad and there’s chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won’t want to eat it any other way!

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

Post may include affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, you won’t pay anything extra but it will help support this blog.

I kind of wish summer in Utah went from March to November. I’m all about summer salads like this bowtie chicken Caesar salad.

From main dish-style pasta salads like this chicken and bowtie pasta salad to fruit-infused green salads like this strawberry spinach salad with balsamic poppy seed dressing, I could eat salad every day—as long as my best ever macaroni salad is thrown in the rotation!

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

You can’t beat a hearty salad that serves as both side dish and main dish. And chicken Caesar pasta salad is just that. You take chicken Caesar salad, which can be main dish or side dish depending on how hungry you are, and elevate it to for-sure main dish status by adding cooked farfalle—aka bowtie—pasta.

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

I love all the textures and flavors in bowtie chicken Caesar salad. Inside the bowl you’ll find crisp Romaine lettuce, tender chicken, al dente pasta, crunchy croutons, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and creamy Caesar dressing.

It’s a cold pasta salad party in every bite!

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

If you want a little more crunch, I’ve seen variations where they throw in roasted garlic Caesar almonds. I may have to try that next time I Make a batch of this chicken Caesar pasta salad!

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

Have you ever wondered about the history of Caesar salad? I was sure it had roots in Italy but that’s so not the case.

The Alleged History of the Caesar Salad

  • Legend attributes the creation of Ceasr salad to Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini.
  • Cardini owned a restaurant, Caesar’s, in Tijuana to attract those looking to avoid Prohibition.
  • On July 4, 1924, a holiday rush depleted the kitchen’s supplies. Cardini threw together what ingredients he had and served it to guests.
  • Julia Child said that she had eaten a Caesar salad at Cardini’s restaurant when she was a child in the 1920s.
  • According to Cardini’s daughter, Rosa, the original Caesar salad recipe did not have anchovies. It did include whole lettuce leaves, which were meant to be lifted by the stem and eaten with the fingers. It also had boiled eggs and Italian olive oil.

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

I’m glad Cardini didn’t include anchovies in his recipes. He preferred that sort of briny flavor to come from Worcestershire sauce. And I’m way okay with that.

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

Why is this the best bowtie chicken Caesar salad? Because it’s ridiculously easy. The hardest part is cooking up the bowtie pasta. I so don’t make Caesar salad dressing from scratch, so that takes out half the work.

And if you buy pre-cut Romaine lettuce and cooked chicken, it makes it even quicker! I’ve made this chicken Caesar pasta salad using pre-cooked grilled and seasoned chicken from the deli section and it’s absolutely delicious.

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

You could also totally use shredded rotisserie chicken—something I always like to have in my freezer just in case. It comes in handy when making Asian ramen salad or chicken tortilla soup.

The best part about bowtie chicken Caesar salad? It feeds a crowd. This is one of the best summer potluck dishes you can make. Not only does it double easily but you can make it a day ahead, sans dressing, and toss before serving.

Winner winner, chicken Caesar salad!

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad - There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way! #caesarsalad #bowtie #pastasalad #pasta #salad #halfscratched #easyrecipe #sidedish

Best Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

There's chicken Caesar salad and there's chicken Caesar pasta salad. Once you add bowtie pasta to Caesar salad, you won't want to eat it any other way!

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 (16-oz) box farfalle pasta, cooked and cooled
  • 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
  • 1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/2 to 1 bottle Ken’s Steakhouse Caesar dressing (or your favorite Caesar dressing)
  • 1 cup Caesar croutons*

Instructions

  1. In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce, pasta, chicken, cheese, and croutons.
  2. Add the desired amount of salad dressing and toss. Serve immediately.
  3. To make ahead, combine everything but the salad dressing and chill. When ready to serve, add the dressing and toss!

Notes

*I prefer New York Bakery Original Texas Toast Caesar Croutons because they're more colorful!

FOLLOW HALF-SCRATCHED ON INSTAGRAM (@half_scratched) and share the recipes you're whipping up in the kitchen. Don't forget the #HALFSCRATCHED hashtag so we can see what you've made!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 465mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 19g
© Emily Hill
Cuisine: American / Category: salads

Filed Under: food & recipes, main dishes, salads Tagged With: Caesar salad, chicken, easy recipe, pasta, pasta salad, salad, side dish

Previous Post: « Best Homemade Baked Beans
Next Post: Easy Caramel Popcorn Recipe »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tilly

    July 17, 2019 at 8:46 pm

    How to make caesar better? Add delicious dose of carbs. I love this so refreshing and actually filling!

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      Amen to that!

      Reply
  2. Trang

    July 17, 2019 at 9:42 pm

    Why didn’t I think of this genius idea, especially considering the I love pasta?!

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      I think it’s so fun to throw pasta into salads!

      Reply
  3. Natalie

    July 17, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    What a great idea! Taking two classic salads – pasta and Caesar’s and making them into one! Looks and sounds so delicious!

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      It’s super delish!

      Reply
  4. Farah

    July 18, 2019 at 12:01 am

    This looks so hearty and delicious! I love when salads can e main meals!

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      Me too!

      Reply
  5. Tisha

    July 18, 2019 at 3:58 am

    Great way to have a cesar salad!!! Love the addition of pasta

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      It makes it a nice, hearty meal.

      Reply
  6. Aimee Shugarman

    July 18, 2019 at 5:17 am

    We make this all the time, it’s so filling and fantastic! LOVE the history lesson too :)

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      Thanks! And yay!

      Reply
  7. Taylor

    July 18, 2019 at 7:13 am

    So yummy!! Adding to my menu next week! :)

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      Hope you like it!

      Reply
  8. Tanya Schroeder

    July 18, 2019 at 7:44 am

    I could this as a meal any day of the week!

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      I could eat it for lunch and dinner all the days. :)

      Reply
  9. Toni

    July 18, 2019 at 7:46 am

    This is such an amazing salad recipe!

    Reply
    • Emily Hill

      July 18, 2019 at 6:33 pm

      Totally agree!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Because delicious shouldn't be difficult, my recipes feature simple ingredients + easy prep without sacrificing flavor. (more)

Subscribe

Delicious recipes + ideas for making life tastier & easier!

Categories

Footer

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe

Sign up for delicious recipes + ideas for making life tastier and easier!

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Info
  • Let’s Collaborate!
  • Privacy Policy

My favorites

Frosted Zucchini Brownies - Frosted zucchini brownies feature a decadent chocolate flavor and rich, creamy frosting. And guess what? You can't taste zucchini in this brownie recipe! #halfscratched #brownies #brownie #recipe #baking #chocolate #zucchini #dessert #sweets

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

Hawaiian Ham & Cheese Sliders - Need a tasty way to use leftover ham or a recipe that'll feed a crowd? Look no further than Hawaiian ham and cheese sliders! #sliders #leftoverham #easyrecipe #hamandcheesesliders #maindish #baking #partyrecipe #holidayrecipe #halfscratched

Ham and Cheese Sliders with Poppy Seed Drizzle

Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites -- Cookie dough pretzel bites offer the irresistible combination of cookie dough, pretzels, and chocolate in a perfectly portioned dessert! #cookiedough #pretzel #pretzelbites #pretzelcandy #baking #dessert #easyrecipe #easydessert #nobakedessert

Cookie Dough Pretzel Bites

One pan no peek chicken and rice

One-Pan No Peek Chicken & Rice

Copyright © 2021 · Design by Ashley Emmett using The Genesis Framework