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Prep time
40 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
6 to 8 as a side dish
Author Notes
This is a summery, easy-prep pasta salad with all your favorites: rotisserie chicken, homemade Caesar dressing, ciabatta croutons, fusilli, and lots of freshly grated Parmesan. It comes together in just one big salad bowl, and can be made in advance to bring to the beach, on a picnic, or to have in the fridge to snack on whenever hunger strikes. Since it makes a big batch, it’s also perfect for summer BBQs and entertaining.
This Caesar dressing uses the traditional method of emulsifying olive oil, lemon juice, and egg yolks. I used to always fear breaking the emulsification, but using the tricks below will guarantee a nice, thick dressing.
Tips & Tricks
• To create a thick, flavorful base for the dressing, mince the garlic and anchovies separately, then combine them on the cutting board and mince and press them together into a paste (alternately, use a mortar and pestle).
• Use a damp kitchen towel to hold your bowl in place while whisking the olive oil into the salad dressing. Wrap it into a circle on the counter, then place the bowl at an angle on top
• Make the dressing a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. (This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of dressing. You can halve it if needed or store the leftovers in the fridge for later use—it will keep for up to a week).
—Nea Arentzen
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Ingredients
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FOR THE CAESAR DRESSING:
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4
garlic cloves, very finely minced (see headnote)
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4
anchovies, very finely minced
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3
egg yolks
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2 teaspoons
Dijon mustard
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1/4 cup
lemon juice
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1 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
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1/2 cup
freshly grated parmesan
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1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
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Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
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FOR THE SALAD:
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10 ounces
fusilli (about 4 cups)
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Kosher salt to taste
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4 cups
ciabatta, torn into 2-inch pieces
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4 cups
romaine lettuce (about 1 head), chopped
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1
rotisserie chicken (about 4 cups), cut into 1-inch pieces
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1/4 cup
shaved Parmesan, plus more for grating over top
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Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
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Make the pasta. Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package (about 10 minutes). Drain the pasta, then toss with a light drizzle of oil and set it aside to cool.
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Make the dressing. While the pasta cooks and cools, in a large bowl, whisk to combine the minced garlic and anchovy (see tip in headnote), egg yolks, Dijon, and lemon juice. While continuously whisking, very slowly pour a thin stream of olive oil into the bowl. If you notice any olive oil that isn’t mixed in, pause and whisk it in until combined. Continue with the remaining olive oil until the dressing has reached a thick consistency. Stir in the Parmesan, then add the salt and season with a generous amount of black pepper.
Spread the torn ciabatta out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, tossing halfway through, about 10 minutes.
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Make the salad. To the bowl with the Caesar dressing, add the cooled pasta, lettuce, rotisserie chicken, toasted ciabatta breadcrumbs, the shaved Parmesan, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss until everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Chill the Caesar pasta salad in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
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Transfer it to a serving plate or bowl, then garnish with more grated Parmesan and black pepper before serving.
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