Caesar pasta salad with chicken
A recipe for a satisfying pasta salad in the style of a Caesar salad – topped with crisp croutons, chicken and parmesan dressing.
Servings 4 people
Calories 804kcal
Ingredients
Salad
- 200 g pasta, uncooked weight
- 4 chicken breasts (optional)
- 4 small heads of romaine lettuce
- Oil for frying
- Fresh peas, if in season
- Parmesan shavings and parsley to finish, optional
Parmesan dressing
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 clove garlic
- 40 g parmesan
- 2 small anchovy fillets
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 100 ml rapeseed oil
- 25 ml water – adjust the consistency, you may need a little more or less
- Salt and pepper
Croutons
- 1 ciabatta loaf or similar
- A little oil
- Seasoning – e.g. dried parsley and garlic powder
Instructions
Bread croutons
- Cut the bread into rough chunks and toss them with a little oil – about 2 tbsp.
- Spread them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper and season with salt and any other seasoning you like.
- Bake the croutons in a preheated conventional oven (top and bottom heat) at 220°C for about 15 minutes, until crisp and golden.
Dressing
- Put the egg yolks in a mini chopper or blender with the garlic, anchovy fillets, parmesan and lemon juice and blend well.
- Add the oil a little at a time while blending – continue until all the oil is used and you have a thick, creamy mayonnaise.
- Add the water a little at a time, still blending, until you reach the consistency you want – the dressing should be creamy and not too thin. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Salad
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then rinse it in plenty of cold water. Leave it to drain and dry in a sieve.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan, season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry the breasts over a medium heat until golden and cooked through. *The chicken can also be brushed with a little oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked on the barbecue. Set the chicken aside and let it rest before cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut or tear the lettuce into rough pieces.
- Toss the pasta and half of the lettuce with some of the dressing. It should not be swimming in dressing – just enough to coat the lettuce and pasta lightly.
- Arrange the "plain" lettuce, the pasta/lettuce/dressing mixture and the chicken in a serving bowl – or in 4 deep plates.*Build it up in loose layers, so you get a little of everything in each bite.
- Top with the crisp croutons, fresh peas and extra dressing. Scatter over parsley and parmesan shavings, if you like.
Nutrition
Calories: 804kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 184mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1mg