Chicken Caesar Pasta (One Pot!)
This One Pot Chicken Caesar Pasta recipe is so easy to make! Angel hair pasta and blackened chicken are tossed in a creamy Parmesan sauce with a hint of Caesar dressing, lemons, and capers.
Be sure to serve this with a side of my Garlic Bread with Cheese!
Chicken Caesar Pasta
So, the idea of Chicken Caesar Pasta is extremely enticing. That being said, the balance of flavors, amount of sauce, and the consistency of the sauce is key in order to make it work without it being overpowering.
I recently saw a huge recipe website post this recipe concept using 2 cups of Caesar dressing. Which basically means it’s pasta drenched in Caesar dressing. (Not my jam.)
I put a lighter spin on this idea with more balanced flavors and a one pot method.
I’m personally obsessed with Chicken Caesar Salad, so I had to make this perfect. Let’s do it.
How to Make it
See recipe card at the bottom of post for full ingredient quantities and instructions
Season and Marinate the Chicken. Slice the chicken in half to create thinner pieces of equal size. Season with lemon pepper seasoning and marinate in Caesar dressing for 20+ minutes.
Sear the chicken, sauté the garlic. Sear the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and partially blackened. Once the chicken is cooked, set it aside on a plate. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Whisk in the chicken broth, milk, Caesar dressing, and capers. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and twist the noodles into the pan as they soften. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add the Parmesan Cheese, chicken, and lemon juice. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the pasta and gently mix until melted and combined. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the lemon juice. Stir to combine. Garnish with fresh parsley and cracked pepper and serve.
Using Cooked or Rotisserie Chicken
2 cups of cooked chicken can be mixed in at the end once the pasta is cooked. No need to marinate or sear the chicken first.
Storage
- Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- You can also freeze it and store it for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Chicken Caesar Pasta
- Garlic Bread with Cheese
- Easy Roasted Broccoli, Green Beans, or Carrots.
- Salad with homemade Italian or Caesar Dressing
- Buttermilk Biscuits or Cheddar Bay Biscuits
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Chicken Caesar Pasta (One Pot!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Caesar salad dressing, divided
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 1 large
- 3 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz. angel hair pasta, equal to 1/2 lb.
- 1 Tablespoon capers
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Freshly cracked pepper
- Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast in half to create two thinner pieces of equal size. Season each side with lemon pepper seasoning.
- Place the chicken in a freezer Ziploc bag and add ¾ cup of Caesar dressing (save ¼ cup for the pasta sauce). Coat the chicken with the dressing and seal. Refrigerate for 20 minutes (or longer if time allows.)
- Meanwhile, shred the Parmesan cheese and set it aside. It should be at room temp when added to the sauce.
- Take ¼ cup of the Caesar dressing and whisk it with ¾ cup milk. Set it aside, it should also come down to nearly room temp. Don’t worry if it’s not completely uniform in consistency.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large high-walled skillet or dutch oven.
- Add the marinated chicken and let it sear, undisrupted, for 4-5 minutes per side. Decrease heat to medium if oil begins to splatter.
- Set the chicken on a plate. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into strips. Transfer any juice left on the plate back to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic. Heat for one minute.
- Add the chicken broth, and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot. Slowly stir in the milk/Caesar dressing. Bring to a boil.
- Add the angel hair pasta and use kitchen tongs to gently bend the noodles into the pan as they soften. (If preferred, you can also break them in half.)
- Let the pasta simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the noodles don't stick together.
- Once the pasta is softened and cooked through, add the capers and decrease heat to low.
- Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, use tongs to toss and combine. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Add freshly cracked pepper and serve.
Notes
Caesar Dressing Recommendation:
- My homemade Caesar Dressing is excellent. Otherwise I recommend Marie’s Caesar salad dressing found in the refrigerated aisle in the produce section.
Serve this with my Garlic Bread with Cheese.
Using Rotisserie or Leftover Chicken: 2 cups of cooked chicken can be mixed in at the end once the pasta is cooked. No need to marinate or sear the chicken first.
This was delicious! Loved the combination of the angel hair pasta with the light lemony sauce. The chicken had a nice flavor from the marinade ( I let mine marinate about 5 hours). Will definitely make again! I think I’ll try it with shrimp instead of chicken at some point as the sauce would go great with shrimp or other seafood.
Shrimp would be great in this Deb! I’m so happy you liked it, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💕
loved it, so yummy!
Thanks Kelly!💕
My kids love this pasta. I make it often. It has the best taste I do use extra garlic thou.
I’m so happy to hear that you and your kids love this pasta Dawn!! I am all for the extra garlic! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!! ❤️❤️❤️ -Stephanie
Enjoyed this recipe! My husband said we should make it again.
I’m so happy it was a hit Michelle, nice work! Thanks so much for the great review!🩷
This was a hit for the whole family! My son was practically licking his plate afterwards, hubby had seconds, daughter who is a bit picky ate hers too! Definitely keeping this one in the rotation.
That makes me so happy Andrea! Sounds like you nailed it, nice work! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review💖
Is it best to use freshly grated parm cheese?
Yes!! Especially if you want it to melt nicely in pastas, soups, etc.! I use BelGioioso 🙂
You forgot to say when to add capers
Hi Lauren! I’ve got it, “Whisk in the chicken broth, milk, Caesar dressing, and capers. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and twist the noodles into the pan as they soften. Cook for 4-5 minutes.” Also, it’s in step 12 on the recipe card.
Second time making this, very good. It’s a keeper .
I’m so happy to hear that, thanks so much!💖
So good! Will definitely make again!
That makes me so happy Jennifer, thanks so much for the great review!💖
Could you precook the pasta on its own first?
Hi Ashley, not in a one pot meal, no. ❤️
Can you use mozzarella instead of Parmesan? We’re in the middle of a blizzard and we don’t have Parmesan cheese. I’ve made this several times and everyone loves it!
Hmmmm the consistency is very different and I’m not sure it would blend in well, if you try it let me know!