Chicken Caesar Tortellini Salad
This Chicken Caesar Tortellini Salad is a creamy, cheesy, flavor-packed summer pasta salad made with tender cheese tortellini, lemon pepper chicken, crisp romaine, shaved Parmesan, and Caesar dressing. It’s perfect as a barbecue side dish or an easy cold dinner for hot summer nights.
Servings 8
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 20 oz Package Fresh Cheese Tortellinni frozen will work too, but you will need to cook it a bit longer
- 1 lb Thinly Cut Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs
- 1-2 tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning enough to coat the chicken
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Butter
- 5-6 Cups Romaine Lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 Cup Shaved Parmesan Cheese
- 1-2 Cups Croutons for serving
- Extra Black Pepper for garnish
For the homemade Caesar dressing
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 5 Whole Garlic Cloves
- 5 Anchovy Filets OR 1 tbsp anchovy paste OR 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the fresh tortellini for 2 minutes, or until just tender. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Set aside.
- Season the chicken breasts with lemon pepper seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and nicely seared. Remove from the skillet, let rest a few minutes, then chop into bite-size pieces.
- Make the dressing by adding the mayonnaise, garlic, anchovy fillets, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Parmesan, and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled tortellini, chopped chicken, chopped romaine, shaved Parmesan, and most of the dressing. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Top with croutons and extra black pepper right before serving. Add more Parmesan if desired.Serve immediately for the best texture.