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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad :: Gluten Free & Dairy Free Options!

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caesar dressing recipe, caesar dressing without fish, caesar pasta salad, chicken caesar pasta salad, dairy free caesar dressing, gluten free pasta salad, healthy dinner ideas, pasta salad recipe, picnic salad recipes, salad recipes for summer, summer dinner ideas, summer lunch ideas
Author: Renee Kohley - Raising Generation Nourished

Ingredients

For the Caesar Dressing:

  • 1 cup full fat coconut yogurt or yogurt
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese or cheese of choice or 3-4 tbsp nutritional yeast if dairy free for "cheesy" flavor
  • 3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos or Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • if needed, salt and pepper to taste

For the Grilled Chicken:

For the Pasta Salad:

  • 3 cups dry pasta of choice I use gluten free brown rice pasta
  • 1-2 heads romaine lettuce about 5 cups chopped
  • 4 roma tomatoes sliced
  • optional extra parmesan cheese to garnish

Instructions

Make the Caesar Dressing:

  • Put all of the dressing ingredients into a jar or small bowl and use an immersion blender to combine. Alternatively, you can use a food processor or blender. Set this aside in the refrigerator for later.

Grill the Chicken:

  • Whisk the seasonings for the chicken in a small dish and toss it with the filleted chicken breasts. Grill the chicken breasts until cooked all the way through. Take them off the grill before they are 165 degrees so they don't get dry. They will continue to cook as you take them off the grill. Remember that fillets cook quicker because they are thinner!
  • Set the grilled chicken aside on a cutting board to rest while the pasta boils. This will keep the chicken juicy and allow it to cool off before tossing it with the salad.

Assemble the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad:

  • Boil the pasta, cooking it to al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta to cool it off, rinse the starch, and stop the pasta from cooking more. Add the drained pasta to a large serving bowl and toss it with about half of the Caesar dressing you made.
  • Stir the grilled chicken, lettuce, & tomatoes into the Caesar dressing coated pasta, adding more of the dressing to your taste. You can serve the pasta right away, or chill it before serving.
  • Serve with a garnish of more parmesan cheese and black pepper if you wish.

Notes

  • The pasta salad will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. If you plan to make days in advance, I would suggest not adding the lettuce and tomato until you serve the salad so that they stay crisp and fresh.