June 3, 2022
Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad
This Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad is a fun twist on the typical Caesar and pasta salads, combining the best of both worlds! Loaded with creamy dressing, seasoned vegan chick’n pieces, and peppery arugula – then topped with homemade lemon-garlic breadcrumbs – leaving you with a pasta salad that’s full of texture and bursting with flavor in every bite! Serve as a side dish or enjoy it for lunch or dinner! It’s the perfect summer recipe!
chick’n caesar pasta salad
This vegan Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad truly is the best off both worlds! If you know me, then you know I’m obsessed with Caesar salads. If there’s a vegan Caesar salad on any menu, at any restaurant, chances are I’m ordering it. It’s also no secret that I love pasta. And the two together are seriously magical. It was one night while I was eating dinner – a Caesar salad as my starter and a bowl of pasta as my entree – that I had the brilliant idea to marry the two. And the rest is history.
Now I know I’m not the first to invent a Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, but honestly, the thought never occurred to me until that night just a couple months ago. So here’s my vegan version, which is perfect for all your summer gatherings, by the way! The homemade breadcrumbs really take it over the top, so don’t skip ’em!
Grab a cold one and let’s get to making the best Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad!
what goes in chick’n caesar pasta salad (plus substitutions)
There are tons of variations of Caesar salads out there! Here’s what goes into my Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad:
for the dressing:
- Raw cashews: it’s best that you use raw cashews for the dressing! Unfortunately, I don’t have a nut-free substitute, but if you need one, there are tons online. This recipe from Loving It Vegan has great reviews!
- Vegan mayonnaise: if you don’t have vegan mayo, simply replace it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Lemon juice
- Vegan parmesan: sub equal portions nutritional yeast
- Dijon mustard
- Olive oil
- Garlic: I prefer fresh, but you can sub out for 1-2 teaspoons of garlic granules. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust from there.
- Capers: or a few chopped green olives. Just make sure to rinse ’em!
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
For the pasta salad:
- Short pasta noodles: my favorite are cavatappi, but any short noodle, such as fusilli or penne work, too!
- Avocado oil: or any neutral oil, such as grapeseed, vegetable, or canola.
- Vegan chick’n pieces: whatever brand you love and find most accessible will work in this recipe! I’ve even used soy curls, air-fried tofu, or gone without a “protein” alltogether.
- Low-sodium poultry seasoning: most poultry seasonings are vegan-friendly, but always check to make sure! That being said, I love having poultry seasoning in my pantry at all times. If you don’t have any, you can simply make your own our just use salt and pepper!
- Red onion: I can’t have a caesar without red onions, but if it’s not your vibe, you can simply omit them.
- Baby arugula: I think the pepperiness of the arugula in this pasta salad pairs nicely with the creamy dressing and zesty breadcrumbs. You can most definitely go the more traditional route and substitute the arugula with romaine lettuce, or your favorite varietal of kale! If using kale, just make sure to give it a good massage for 1 to 2 minutes with a bit of olive oil and salt to break it down as it’s quite fibrous compared to lettuce and arugula.
for the breadcrumbs:
- Sourdough bread: or whatever bread you like!
- Garlic: again, fresh is best, but feel free to sub for 1 to 2 teaspoons of garlic granules or garlic powder
- Vegan butter: olive oil or avocado oil work in its place!
- Lemon zest
- Salt and pepper
how to make chick’n Caesar pasta salad
I like to think of this Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad in 3 different components – the dressing, the pasta salad, and the breadcrumbs – and I usually make each of the 3 components in that order, but if you’d like, you can make the dressing and breadcrumbs a day or two in advance (just make sure to store the dressing covered in the refrigerator, and the breadcrumbs at room temperature in a sealed container). Here’s how to make it:
1. Make the dressing:
Place the dressing ingredients and 1 cup of water in a high-powered blend and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Set aside.
2. Cook the Pasta and the chick’n:
Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chick’n pieces, season with the poultry seasoning and cook, stirring often, until the edges start to crisp and completely heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.
3. assemble and chill:
Place the seasoned chick’n in the large bowl with the pasta, along with the red onion and arugula. Pour in the Caesar dressing and toss well to combine. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.
4. breadcrumbs:
In a food processor, pulse sourdough bread and garlic until breadcrumbs are formed. In a pan on medium heat, add the vegan butter. Once the butter has melted, add the breadcrumbs, and cook the mixture until it reaches a nice golden-brown color, stirring frequently as you don’t want to burn them. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and toss with lemon zest. Taste and a pinch of salt & pepper if desired.
5. finish and enjoy!
When the pasta salad has cooled, sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and some vegan parmesan. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and enjoy!
more salad recipes to get you through all your summer festivities
- Chick’n Caesar Salad Wonton Cups
- Orzo and Arugula Salad with Bell Pepper Vinaigrette
- Mufalletta Panzanella Salad
- Chick’n Pesto Pasta Salad
- Buffalo Chick’n Pasta Salad
I’m claiming this the pasta salad recipe for summer 2022, but I’ll let you be the judge
I hope you love my Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad as much as I do! If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!
Til next time, friends!
XO!
Chick'n Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Caesar Dressing:
- • 1 cup raw cashews see recipe note 1
- • ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- • 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- • ¼ cup vegan parmesan plus more for serving
- • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- • 2 tablespoons olive oil
- • 4 cloves fresh garlic
- • 1 tablespoon rinsed capers
- • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
- • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper plus more to taste
Chick’n Caesar Pasta Salad:
- • 12 ounces short pasta noodles such as cavatappi or fusilli
- • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- • 8 ounces vegan chick’n pieces
- • 2 teaspoons low-sodium poultry seasoning
- • 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
- • 3 cups baby arugula
Lemon-Garlic Breadcrumbs:
- • 2 cups day-old sourdough bread roughly torn
- • 6 cloves garlic
- • 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- • Zest of 1 large lemon
- • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the dressing, place the cashews, mayo, lemon juice, parmesan, Dijon, olive oil, garlic, capers, and 1 cup of water in a high-powered blend and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If you want a thinner consistency, add more water 2 tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
- For the pasta salad, cook the noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain, but do not rinse. Place the noodles in a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chick’n pieces, season with the poultry seasoning and cook, stirring often, until the edges start to crisp and completely heated through, 5 to 6 minutes. Place the seasoned chick’n in the large bowl with the pasta, along with the red onion and arugula. Pour in the Caesar dressing and toss well to combine. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.
- While the pasta salad is chilling, prepare the breadcrumbs. In a food processor, pulse sourdough bread and garlic until breadcrumbs are formed. In a pan on medium heat, add the vegan butter. Once the butter has melted, add the breadcrumbs, and cook the mixture until it reaches a nice golden-brown color, stirring frequently as you don't want to burn them, 7 to 10 minutes. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and toss with lemon zest. Taste and a pinch of salt & pepper if desired.
- When the pasta salad has cooled, sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and some vegan parmesan. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and enjoy!
Notes
