Go Back
Rotini Caesar salad with sliced seared chicken, halved tomatoes and shaved Parmesan in a white bowl, shot from above

Pan-Seared Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Pan-seared chicken, rotini and a Greek yogurt Caesar dressing make a cold dinner salad with 43 g protein per serving.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 370
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 500 g boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts); halved horizontally into 6 cutlets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for searing
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Dressing
  • 120 g plain nonfat Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (45 ml); freshly squeezed
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 anchovy fillets oil-packed, drained
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 30 g Parmesan finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Salad
  • 225 g rotini dry
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt for the pasta water
  • 150 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 150 g romaine hearts (about 3 cups); chopped
  • 10 g Parmesan shaved, for topping

Method
 

  1. Fill a 5-quart / 4.7 L pot with water, add the 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and bring it to a boil. Halve each chicken breast horizontally into two even cutlets about 1.5 cm / 5/8 inch thick, which gives you 6 cutlets. Pat them dry and season both sides with the garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
  2. In a 4-quart / 3.8 L bowl, mash the anchovies and garlic into a paste with a fork. Whisk in the Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire, 30 g grated Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until the dressing is thick and pale. Halve the tomatoes and chop the romaine now and keep them aside.
  3. Add the rotini to the boiling water and cook 10 to 11 minutes until al dente. While it cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear 3 cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and 165 F / 74 C in the thickest part, then move them to a plate and repeat with the other 3.
  4. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water for 20 seconds, and shake it dry. Fold it into the dressing until every piece is coated, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if it looks stiff. Rest the chicken 5 minutes, then slice it across the grain into 1 cm / 1/2 inch strips and add it to the bowl.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes, cover, and chill for 15 minutes so the pasta takes on the dressing. Right before serving, fold in the romaine, taste, and add lemon juice or salt if needed. Top with the 10 g shaved Parmesan and serve within 30 minutes.

Notes

  • Pull the chicken at 165 F / 74 C, then rest it 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Sear the cutlets in two batches of three so the skillet stays hot and they brown instead of steam.
  • Salt the pasta water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, since the dressing already gets salt from anchovy and Parmesan.
  • Add the romaine only at serving time, and eat the salad within 30 minutes of adding it.