Need a 10-minute dinner idea you can serve hot or cold? Everyone will love a Caesar chicken salad made with pre-cooked chicken. Use it as a filling for wraps, sandwiches, or serve it on a bed of lettuce—this quick recipe will become your go-to on busy weeknights to avoid takeout.
Our family adores anything Caesar—this combination of chicken, lettuce, Parmesan, and Caesar dressing is always a hit. Whether I use slow-cooker rotisserie-style chicken, a store-bought rotisserie, or canned cooked chicken, this dish comes together in about 10 minutes.
TIP: If you use a whole rotisserie chicken, shred and freeze leftover portions in meal-sized containers. Having pre-cooked chicken in the freezer makes dinners like this effortless on busy nights.
These wraps or salads can be served warm or cold depending on the weather and your preference.
Ingredients & Variations
You only need a few simple ingredients for this 10-minute recipe:
- Cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
- Parmesan (shredded)
- Romaine lettuce (shredded or leaves for wraps)
- Tortillas, pita, sandwich bread, crackers for a bowl, or use lettuce leaves as low‑carb wraps
- Optional veggies — thinly sliced sweet onion or diced sweet red pepper add brightness
- Caesar dressing — homemade or a quality store-bought dressing
If you haven’t tried homemade Caesar dressing, it’s quick to blend and tastes excellent, but a good-quality store-bought dressing works well too.
How to Make Caesar Chicken Salad
Mix shredded or chopped cooked chicken with some Caesar dressing and Parmesan in a bowl. Add any optional vegetables you like.
Layer the mixture on tortillas, bread, or pita, top with shredded romaine and additional dressing and cheese, then roll up. Alternatively, fill lettuce leaves or serve the chicken salad over a bed of lettuce with extra dressing.
This easy Caesar chicken salad is perfect for a one-dish meal you can take to outdoor events or keep in rotation for nights when time or appetite are limited.
Serving Ideas & FAQ
Serve with chips and fresh salsa, carrot sticks or cut veggies and hummus. Other easy sides include chopped bean and veggie salad, shaved cabbage slaw with feta, baked fries, or potato chips.
Yes—when made with lean chicken, real-food ingredients in the dressing, and plenty of lettuce, this is a healthy option. Choose whole-wheat or low-carb wraps for lighter carbs, or skip the wrap and use lettuce leaves to reduce carbohydrates further. Nutritional results depend on the specific ingredients you choose.
Yes—add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne to the dressing or mix in 2 to 1/3 cup hot sauce to taste. Start with less and increase until you reach your preferred heat level.
Absolutely—any cooked chicken works well, including grilled, rotisserie, slow-cooked, or canned chicken.
This quick, versatile recipe will likely become a regular on your menu—fast, satisfying, and easy to adapt.
Cook Once, Eat 2–3 Times More
I often roast or slow-cook a whole chicken, eat part of it right away, then shred and freeze the rest in portions for quick meals like this Caesar chicken salad.
Stocking your freezer with pre-cooked chicken makes quick dinners simple:
- Mexican Chicken Corn Soup
- Chicken-Pesto Greek Style Pizza
- Or use shredded chicken in any other quick recipes that call for cooked chicken
Easy Caesar Chicken Salad for Wraps, Sandwiches and More
10 minutes
10 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rotisserie chicken OR Slow Cooker Spiced Whole Chicken
- 1 cup homemade Caesar salad dressing divided (or a quality store-bought dressing)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 head romaine lettuce shredded*
- 8 flour tortillas pita, sandwich bread — optional
Instructions
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To Make Warm Wraps:
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Shred cooked chicken to equal about 4 cups (roughly 2 breasts and 1 thigh) and add to a medium pot.
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Stir 3/4 cup of the Caesar dressing and the Parmesan into the chicken. Heat over medium-low until warmed, about 5–10 minutes. (If starting with hot chicken, simply shred and mix as in the cold directions.)
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Divide the chicken mixture among tortillas or bread, top with a large handful of lettuce and more Parmesan. Drizzle extra dressing, roll up, and cut in half. Or fill lettuce leaves or serve on a bed of lettuce.
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To Make Cold Wraps (for picnics, lunches, or hot nights):
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Shred 4 cups of cooked chicken and place in a medium bowl.
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Stir in 3/4 cup dressing and half the Parmesan.
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Divide the mixture between tortillas or bread, top with lettuce and remaining Parmesan. Drizzle with more dressing, roll up, or fill lettuce leaves or serve on a bed of lettuce.
Notes
Make Ahead Tip: These can be made a few hours ahead for dinner or lunch on the go, but tortillas will become soggy if stored too long. Preparing them the morning of or the night before works best for short-term storage.
(Nutrition was calculated without any wraps or bread—just the chicken salad.)
Nutrition
| Calories: 303kcal
| Carbohydrates: 2g
| Protein: 20g
| Fat: 23g
This recipe has been updated — it was originally published in April 2014.