Romaine goes in at the bench, not in the kitchen
Lettuce that has been sitting in Caesar dressing since 4:00 is a wet green mess by 7:00. Everybody knows this and everybody packs it dressed anyway because it is one less bag.
It is one bag. Chopped romaine and croutons in a sandwich bag, penne and chicken and dressing in a lidded cup, both on ice, and they meet on a bleacher thirty seconds before anybody eats.
Penne is the right shape here because it holds its tube through four hours of chilling and a kid stirring hard with a plastic fork. Spaghetti in the same cup turns into a knot.
Ingredients
The recipe fills 4 cups. Plan on about 25 minutes.
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
- 1/2 cup Caesar dressing
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup chopped romaine
- 1/2 cup croutons
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make It
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until tender, about 9 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water until cool, then drain well.
- In a bowl, toss the cooled pasta and chicken with the Caesar dressing and parmesan. Season with the pepper.
- Divide the pasta among 4 lidded cups.
- Pack the romaine and croutons in separate small bags to add right before eating. Chill the cups until you pack the cooler.
Pack It Cold and Tidy
Caesar dressing and chicken both need to stay cold, so these cups ride on ice.
- Set the cups against two ice packs in an insulated bag
- Keep cold food at 40F or below, and do not leave it out longer than 2 hours
- Keep the lids on tight so nothing shifts in the cooler
What Stays Crisp (and What Gets Soggy)
Romaine and croutons go limp fast, so they wait outside the cup until the last minute.
- Pack the romaine in its own bag so it stays crisp
- Keep the croutons separate; they turn to mush once they hit the dressing
- Stir the lettuce and croutons in at the field for a fresh-tasting cup
- Serve with: a lemon wedge, cherry tomatoes
Parent Tip
Toss the pasta with dressing while it is slightly warm so it soaks in, then chill before packing.
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
Real bacon crumbled over the top
Three strips cooked crisp and crumbled makes the cup taste like a restaurant Caesar.
Grilled chicken strips instead of diced
Sliced off a grilled thigh, the meat stays juicier than plain diced breast does.
Cheese tortellini for the penne
It makes the cup richer and fills up a kid who came off a doubleheader.
Half yogurt, half dressing
Plain Greek yogurt cuts the mayo weight without losing the anchovy-and-garlic flavor.
Halved cherry tomatoes
They add a cold juicy pop that plays well against all that parmesan.
Plan the next step
Plan the cold-cup nights
Use the planner to choose which evenings get a chilled cup and which need a warm jar.