Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad (Print-Friendly Version)

Juicy chicken with crisp lettuce, pasta, Parmesan, and tangy Caesar dressing, crowned with garlicky breadcrumbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta Salad

01 - 450 g boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - fine sea salt, to taste
03 - freshly ground black pepper, to taste
04 - 15 ml olive oil
05 - 450 g farfalle pasta, uncooked
06 - 3 Romaine lettuce hearts (340 g), roughly chopped
07 - 360 ml Caesar dressing
08 - Parmesan cheese, for topping

→ Garlic Breadcrumbs

09 - 15 g butter
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
11 - 30 g Panko breadcrumbs
12 - fine sea salt, to taste
13 - freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
02 - Melt butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add Panko breadcrumbs with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Transfer breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the sauté pan clean.
03 - Season chicken breasts generously with sea salt and black pepper on both sides. In the same sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, until fully cooked and no longer pink inside. Transfer chicken to a clean cutting board, let rest 5 to 10 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
04 - Cook farfalle pasta in boiling salted water until just al dente. Drain using a colander, then rinse under cold water until chilled.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, gently toss together the cooked pasta, chopped Romaine lettuce, sliced chicken, and Caesar dressing until evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with garlic breadcrumbs, ample Parmesan cheese, and additional black pepper if desired. Alternatively, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 hours and serve chilled.

# Additional Tips:

01 - Allowing the chicken to rest before slicing ensures tender, juicy bites.
02 - For best flavor and texture, serve the salad freshly tossed or chilled for no more than 4 hours.
03 - If making homemade dressing, prepare a 1.5 batch to yield sufficient volume.