These Chicken Caesar Pasta Salads Jars are the perfect meal prep recipe to have in your fridge for busy days. All the flavors you love from a classic chicken caesar salad, made into a high-protein and flavorful layered jar. These jars are proof that meal prep doesn’t have to lack flavor! With only a few simple ingredients, you’ll want add these to your list this week.
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Ingredients Needed for Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Jars:
Caesar Dressing: I used Primal Kitchen Caesar Dressing, my absolute favorite on the market (you can use my code “LEXI20” for 20% off your purchase)! For convenience and ease, pick up a bottle at almost any grocery retailer and we’ll use it to make three jars.
Cooked Protein Pasta: Any short pasta will do here, but I like using a cavatappi protein pasta in this case to up the protein even more! Especially at lunch time, higher protein tends to keep me fuller for longer.
Cooked Chicken: You can use any cooked chicken you prefer here. Make your life as easy as possible! I typically cube up chicken breast to cook on the stove (see full recipe below).
Fresh Kale: Make sure to remove any stems and finely chopped into small pieces.
Fresh Romaine: I’d suggest a classic romaine versus an iceberg lettuce in this situation. It stays at the top of the jar so it will remain fresh for a few days!
Crispy Chickpeas: Adds a little texture to the salad! And as an option, you can always use uncooked chickpeas too.
Shredded Parmesan (Optional): If you’re dairy-free you can skip the parm, I’ve made it both ways and both are delicious!
Does the order of the layers matter?
In this case, yes! We start with the Caesar dressing at the bottom of the jar so A) it’s separate from the lettuce to keep it fresh and B) to coat all the ingredients when dumped and ready to eat!
After the dressing, you’ll add the cooked pasta and cooked chicken. I personally prefer when the pasta sits in the dressing so it doesn’t dry up while in the fridge!
Next, you’ll layer in kale followed by romaine. Like I said above, keeping the romaine separate will prevent it from getting soggy in storage.
Lastly, we add the crispy chickpeas and parmesan (if using!) on top.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Jars
Equipment
- 3 Glass Jars medium to large in size
Ingredients
For the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Jars:
- 8oz bottle Caesar Dressing I used Primal Kitchen
- 1½ cups cooked protein pasta
- 1½ cups cooked chicken cubed
- 1½ cups fresh kale chopped with stems removed
- 1½ cups fresh romaine lettuce chopped
- ¾ cup crispy chickpeas
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan optional
For the Chicken:
- 3 small breasts about 1/2 cup cooked cubed chicken per breast
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp paprika
- cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp avocado oil for cooking
For the Crispy Chickpeas:
- ¾ cup canned chickpeas
- 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp granulated garlic
- ½ tsp sea salt
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Jars:
- Cook protein pasta to package instructions. Let cool and set aside.
- Layer the ingredients in the three jars in the order listed. Starting with Primal Kitchen Caesar Dressing, protein pasta, cooked chicken breast, kale, romaine, crispy chickpeas, and shredded parmesan (if using) on top. Seal the jar tightly.
- Once ready to eat, dump all contents of the jar into a bowl. Toss if needed and enjoy!
For the Chicken:
- Cube the chicken breasts. Coat in all seasonings. Heat about a tablespoon of avocado oil in a pan on the stove at medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip. About 4 minutes per side.
- Note: Pre-made chicken works great here too.
For the Crispy Chickpeas:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Add to dish towel (or paper towels) in an even layer to absorb any moisture.
- Add to a sheet pan with avocado oil and coat in all seasonings. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until crisp. Let cool and add to salad jars.
Notes
Disclaimer:
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