My love language isn’t acts of service or words of affirmation.
It’s really freaking fast and easy recipes with like beaucoups of flavor.
I’m not settling for a murky Crockpot recipe that uses 1 brick of cream cheese, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, and ??? else. No, no.
No, I want bold, current flavors. I want veggies! I want protein. I want it to taste really damn good, so that I can’t at all relate to those sad meal preps my health coach friends post.
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As part of my dinner on the go series, this hot honey chicken Caesar pasta salad ticks all the boxes.
Easy? ✔️
Veggies and protein? ✔️
Modern flavors and lots of them? ✔️
Here’s the deal: boil some pasta in heavily salted water, drain, and rinse. Heat some chicken strips in hot honey, then toss it all together with a bagged chopped Caesar salad kit. Boom, done.
The whole thing stays fresh, thanks to the chopped Caesar kit.
Want more protein? Use a protein pasta, or increase the amount of chicken you’re using.
Spicier? Add in a couple shakes of red pepper flakes.
Throw it in a container (or Ziplock bag tbh), grab a fork, and head out. This recipe turns a sideline dinner into a religious experience.
Hot Honey Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Serves: 4–6 // Prep Time: 10 minutes // Cook Time: 10 minutes
For the Pasta Salad
8 ounces rotini, orecchiette, or cavatappi pasta (or use a protein pasta for boosted macros)
1 (10–12 ounce) chopped Caesar salad kit
2½ cups cooked chicken or grilled chicken strips, chopped or shredded
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Juice of ½ lemon (optional, but brightens everything)
For the Hot Honey Chicken
2 tablespoons hot honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool completely.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the hot honey, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and a few cracks of black pepper.
Toss the chicken with the hot honey mixture. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s warmed through and lightly caramelized around the edges.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, the lettuce from the Caesar kit, about ¾ of the dressing, the Parmesan packet, and the croutons. Toss until evenly coated. (Add the remaining dressing if you like it extra creamy.)
Fold in the hot honey chicken and the additional grated Parmesan. Add the lemon juice, if using, and toss gently.
Finish with extra Parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper, and a light drizzle of hot honey before serving.
Notes
If making ahead, stir the lettuce and croutons in right before serving for the best texture. However, the chopped lettuce kits will keep for an extra day.
For more crunch, add chopped crispy bacon or roasted chickpeas.
Make it lighter: use less dressing.
Make it spicier: add a pinch of crushed red pepper.