Description
This Avocado Chicken Caesar salad came to life from a request to recreate the Cafe Caesar Salad from Calif Chicken Cafe in Los Angeles. I love a good Caesar salad, and this version makes it a whole meal with the addition of avocado and PASTA (which I LOVE in this!).
Ingredients
For the salad dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 2 anchovy filets
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon worcheshire sauce
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 2 – 4 tablespoons water
For the salad:
- 2 heads of romaine
- 2 slices of sourdough bread, cut into 1” cubes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 avocado
- 1 lb chicken breast, cooked then shredded (can also use a rotisserie chicken for this)
- 4 ounces fusili pasta
- 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water up to a boil. When boiling, salt and cook the fusili pasta according to package directions. When finished cooking, strain and rinse under cold water until cool.
- Cook the chicken breast using my poached chicken method here. You can also use shredded chicken from a roast chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Prep the vegetables – wash and chop the romaine and dice the avocado. I dice the avocado in the skin, then keep it in it’s shell until I’m ready to scoop it into my salad.
- Dice the sourdough bread into ½” cubes, then add this to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and black pepper, and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy throughout.
- Make the caesar dressing by adding all the ingredients except the water into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then add 1 tablespoon of water (continue to add an additional tablespoon) until you get the right consistency.
- Assemble the salad by adding a couple tablespoons of the dressing to the bottom of a bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper. Add in 2 cups of chopped and dried romaine, a handful of cooked pasta, and ½ cup of shredded chicken. Toss together, then top with the croutons, avocado, and parmesan cheese. Add another tablespoon of dressing as desired, and serve!
Notes
Tip 1 – When tossing the salad, add some salad dressing PLUS an additional squeeze of fresh lemon juice and black pepper. This is how traditional Caesar salad is made, and I swear it makes the salad extra fresh and tasty!
Tip 2 – Be sure to rinse the pasta in cold water until the pasta is fully cooled. This is important so that you’re not eating soggy and mushy pasta!
Tip 3 – If you’re looking to make this as a side salad for a summer bbq or potluck, you can double the amount of pasta, dressing, and croutons. This gives off more pasta salad vibes, and would be so great with some grilled protein. You don’t need to use all the dressing, but it’s nice to have on the side if people want a little extra!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American