Creamy Caesar Rigatoni Salad
Creamy Caesar Rigatoni Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 12 ounces rigatoni
- as needed water, heavily salted, for cooking pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for pasta
- 3 cups kale, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for kale massage
- 1 pinch salt, for kale massage
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shavings, plus extra for topping
- as needed black pepper, fresh cracked, for topping
- 1/2 cup Parmesan crisps
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced into 4 thin cutlets
- 1/2 cup flour, seasoned, for dredging
- 1 egg, beaten, for dredging
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, for dredging
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, to mix with breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup avocado oil, for shallow frying chicken
For the Creamy Caesar Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh cracked, or to taste
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- 1
Cook the rigatoni in heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse it lightly with cold water to stop the cooking process, and then toss it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Let the pasta cool slightly while you prepare the other components.
⏱️ 12 min
- 2
Prepare the crispy chicken cutlets. Slice the 2 chicken breasts into 4 thin cutlets. Set up a dredging station: one shallow dish with seasoned flour, one with the beaten egg, and one with the breadcrumbs mixed with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the beaten egg, and finally coat thoroughly in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture. Place the breaded cutlets on a plate and let them rest for 20 minutes. This helps the breading adhere better.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
While the chicken rests, prepare the creamy Caesar dressing. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, grated garlic clove, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, a tiny pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth and well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Shallow fry the chicken cutlets. Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken cutlets (you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan). Fry for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack to drain any excess oil and cool slightly, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 8 min
- 5
Assemble the salad. Add the cooled rigatoni to the serving bowl with the dressing. Take the finely chopped kale, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and massage it with your hands for about 30 seconds to soften it. Add the massaged kale, 1/2 cup Parmesan shavings, and most of the sliced crispy chicken cutlets to the bowl. Toss everything until the pasta, kale, and chicken are well coated with the creamy Caesar dressing.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Serve the Creamy Caesar Rigatoni Salad immediately. Top with the remaining crispy chicken pieces, extra Parmesan shavings, Parmesan crisps, and lots of fresh cracked black pepper.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Creamy Caesar Rigatoni Salad
For the Salad
- 12 ounces rigatoni
- as needed water, heavily salted, for cooking pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for pasta
- 3 cups kale, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for kale massage
- 1 pinch salt, for kale massage
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shavings, plus extra for topping
- as needed black pepper, fresh cracked, for topping
- 1/2 cup Parmesan crisps
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced into 4 thin cutlets
- 1/2 cup flour, seasoned, for dredging
- 1 egg, beaten, for dredging
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, for dredging
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, to mix with breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup avocado oil, for shallow frying chicken
For the Creamy Caesar Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh cracked, or to taste
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- 1
Cook the rigatoni in heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse it lightly with cold water to stop the cooking process, and then toss it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Let the pasta cool slightly while you prepare the other components.
⏱️ 12 min - 2
Prepare the crispy chicken cutlets. Slice the 2 chicken breasts into 4 thin cutlets. Set up a dredging station: one shallow dish with seasoned flour, one with the beaten egg, and one with the breadcrumbs mixed with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the beaten egg, and finally coat thoroughly in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture. Place the breaded cutlets on a plate and let them rest for 20 minutes. This helps the breading adhere better.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
While the chicken rests, prepare the creamy Caesar dressing. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, grated garlic clove, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, a tiny pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth and well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Shallow fry the chicken cutlets. Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken cutlets (you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan). Fry for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack to drain any excess oil and cool slightly, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 8 min - 5
Assemble the salad. Add the cooled rigatoni to the serving bowl with the dressing. Take the finely chopped kale, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and massage it with your hands for about 30 seconds to soften it. Add the massaged kale, 1/2 cup Parmesan shavings, and most of the sliced crispy chicken cutlets to the bowl. Toss everything until the pasta, kale, and chicken are well coated with the creamy Caesar dressing.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Serve the Creamy Caesar Rigatoni Salad immediately. Top with the remaining crispy chicken pieces, extra Parmesan shavings, Parmesan crisps, and lots of fresh cracked black pepper.