Begin by boiling a large pot of salted water. Add your dry pasta, such as penne or rotini, and cook according to package instructions, usually around 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta well and immediately run it under cold water to halt the cooking process.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook thick-cut bacon until it turns crispy and golden brown, which should take about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the skillet.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the reserved bacon drippings, mixing well to coat the pasta evenly.

Fold in the crumbled crispy bacon, shredded rotisserie chicken, and diced red onion into the pasta mixture. Toss gently to combine.

Add the chopped romaine or green leaf lettuce to your bowl, followed by the shredded Parmesan cheese. Gently toss all the ingredients together.

Drizzle Caesar dressing over the salad, and toss once more to coat all elements thoroughly. Adjust the amount of dressing based on your taste preferences.

Serve your Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad immediately, or if preparing ahead of time, refrigerate without the lettuce for up to 3-4 hours.