Pesto Caesar Salad

This Pesto Caesar Salad is a fresh take on the classic that elevates the traditional flavors by adding a bold, basil-packed pesto covered chicken. Sweet red bell peppers and juicy cherry tomatoes add vibrant flavor and color, balancing the richness of the pesto. Tossed with crisp romaine and finished with croutons, it's a simple, flavor-forward twist on a favorite that takes a side dish to a main dish.

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• Pesto Caesar Salad

Ingredients

• Romaine lettuce: I prefer baby romaine for its crisp, fresh leaves. If using a large head, choose one that's tightly closed and brightly colored for better texture.
• Chicken: Adding chicken is what really turns this from a side into a main. It makes it more filling and keeps you satisfied. Cook your own, use canned, or grab a rotisserie-whatever works!
• Pesto: I have to give a nod to my creative and brilliant cousin for the idea of adding pesto to a Caesar salad. It blends so well with the dressing and adds a more flavorful profile to the salad.
• Bell Pepper: I love the sweetness of a good bell pepper and it is the perfect addition in this salad. I recommend an orange pepper but any color (except green) will do. 
• Cherry tomatoes: You can use Roma or large tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes are best. They're sweet, flavorful, and add a burst of summer to the salad.
• Croutons: I like to use Caesar flavored croutons but this is not a rule, any flavor will do. These add a delightful crunch and the touch of carbs makes it just a little more filling. 
• Caesar dressing: My favorite Caesar dressing is by Litehouse but you can use whichever dressing you have or love. 
• Shell noodles: These are completely optional and again not my original idea (hats off to my sister for this one), but adding pasta makes the salad more filling and helps it stretch. I like shells, but any short noodle works such as bowties, spiral or macaroni. I did not add these in my salad here.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Hint: As the chicken is already cooked prior to adding the pesto to it, make sure that you don't get sucked into thinking you need to cook it some more. We are just warming it and the pesto so that they blend together well. Once it is hot, turn off the element so that the chicken doesn't get dried out. 

Substitutions

• Croutons - if you love the crunch of croutons but can't have the gluten, check out your local store for gluten free options. Alternatively, many people with gluten sensitivities can handle sour dough - you can make your own from left over sour dough bread or ask at your local bakery.
• Noodles - if you want the Pesto Caesar Salad to be more filling but can't have the gluten noodles, try the Bonza noodles made with chickpeas or there are several other gluten free noodle options available in stores and online.
• Vegetarian - this salad is still delicious without the chicken. If you still want that pesto "boost" to the salad, simply mix it in with your dressing and add it to the salad that way.

Variations

• Spicy - If you want to add a kick to your salad add this Blackened Seasoning to your chicken and mix the pesto in with the salad dressing
• Deluxe - add diced avocado or top with guacamole
• Simple side - to make this a delicious side, omit the chicken and pasta and add the pesto to the salad dressing before pouring it over the salad

See this Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad version of this recipe on my website or this Cheddar Chive Biscuit recipe for a great side to the salad.

Equipment

I like to use my raw cast iron skillet for warming and combining the chicken and pesto in. It adds flavor and is a hearty skillet that distributes the heat well. You can use any skillet/saucepan you have, but the raw cast iron is my favorite.

FAQ

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