Pesto Chicken Pasta Caesar Salad
Seasoned chicken cutlets with everything bagel spice paired with whole wheat pasta, crisp romaine, cherry tomatoes, and red onion tossed in a basil-lemon mayo dressing. Quick weeknight dinner combining protein and greens in one bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken cutlets, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp everything bagel spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat penne or rotini, cookedregular penne1:1gluten-free available
white flour alternative
- 12 oz romaine lettuce
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ red onion, diced
- ⅓ cup lite mayonnaiseGreek yogurt0.75:1lighter optionadds dairy
creamy texture differs
- 6 frozen basil cubesfresh basil1 cube≈1 tsp freshflavor intensity
thaw before mixing
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
Instructions
- 1
Combine chicken, 1.5 tbsp olive oil, everything bagel spice, salt, and garlic powder in a bowl.
- 2
Heat remaining olive oil in a saute or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- 3
Cook chicken in batches until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side for extra thin cutlets.
- 4
Slice chicken into strips and set aside.
- 5
Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
- 6
Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- 7
Combine romaine lettuce, cooked pasta, tomatoes, and red onion.
- 8
Top with chicken strips and drizzle with dressing.
Tips
Pound chicken to uniform thickness before seasoning to ensure even cooking.
Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking chicken to avoid steaming instead of searing.
Good to Know
Store cooked chicken and dressing separately. Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 3 days. Keep dressing away from salad leaves until serving to prevent wilting.
Prepare chicken and dressing up to 1 day ahead. Cook pasta and chop vegetables up to 8 hours ahead. Assemble immediately before serving.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. Drizzle dressing just before eating.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the bowl toss step and add ingredients directly to avoid uneven seasoning distribution.
Do not cook chicken beyond internal temperature to avoid dryness.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Swaps
white flour alternative