Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with Garlic Breadcrumbs Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound uncooked pasta (farfalle recommended)
• 3 Romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Caesar dressing
• Parmesan cheese, for topping
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep the pasta water: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a vigorous boil over high heat, preparing it for cooking the pasta.

2. 2

   Cook the garlic breadcrumbs: While the pasta water heats, melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring continuously to avoid burning. Add Panko breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.

3. 3

   Cook the chicken: Season chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in the sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side until fully cooked and no pink remains inside. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.

4. 4

   Cook the pasta: Add pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until just al dente according to package instructions. Drain pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water to chill and stop cooking.

5. 5

   Toss the pasta salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, chopped Romaine lettuce, sliced chicken, and Caesar dressing. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated.

6. 6

   Serve the salad immediately topped with the garlic breadcrumbs, a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 hours and serve chilled.