Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

The Barrel Aged Series launched at Lakefront. Three sour beers: Wild Patience (the original), Lake Effect Tart (the wheat sour), and a blend called Slow Build that combined the two. The taproom event was packed — two hundred people. I stood behind the bar pouring samples and explaining the process and trying not to sweat through my brewery t-shirt.

The response was incredible. People loved the sours. The beer blogs picked it up. A Milwaukee food writer came in and tasted all three and said, "Lakefront has entered the sour game and they're serious." The head brewer read the review and said, "Good work, kid." Kid. I'm twenty-seven. I'm developing a sour beer program that's getting statewide attention. I'm a kid. I will always be a kid to this man. That's okay.

Megan came to the launch. She wore a Lakefront t-shirt and tasted all three sours and liked the wheat one best. She talked to customers, she took photos, she told everyone who would listen that the sour beer program was her boyfriend's idea. She is my biggest supporter. She is also terrible at keeping things professional. She told one customer, "He also makes pierogi." The customer ordered pierogi. We don't serve pierogi. Megan promised to bring some next time. I am being voluntold into catering.

Made a celebration dinner at home: steak, medium-rare, with roasted potatoes and a Caesar salad. Not Polish. Not fancy. Just good. The steak was a splurge — I don't buy ribeyes often — but tonight felt like a night that deserved a ribeye. I seared it in the cast iron so hot it smoked and finished it in the oven. Megan said, "This is the best steak you've ever made." She says this every time. She means it every time.

The ribeye got all the glory that night — and it deserved it — but honestly, the Caesar salad I threw together on the side was the thing Megan kept going back to for seconds. I’ve made a version of this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad a dozen times since, turning that casual celebration-night side into something I’d actually put in front of company. It’s the kind of dish that feels effortless but tastes like you were paying attention, which, after a two-hundred-person taproom launch, is exactly the energy I needed in my own kitchen.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

8 oz rotini or penne pasta
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded (rotisserie works great)
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup Caesar dressing (store-bought or homemade)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup croutons
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and set aside to cool completely.
Prep the chicken. If using freshly cooked chicken, let it cool before chopping into bite-sized pieces. Season lightly with garlic powder and black pepper.
Combine the base. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the Caesar dressing and lemon juice until evenly coated.
Add the mix-ins. Fold in the chopped chicken, romaine, Parmesan, and cherry tomatoes if using. Toss gently so the romaine doesn’t bruise.
Finish and serve. Top with croutons immediately before serving so they stay crisp. Finish with an extra grating of Parmesan and a crack of black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad — The Side That Earned Its Spot at a Ribeye Table