Allow everything to cool before tossing together. You don't want a soggy salad!
You can definitely meal prep this recipe. I would store the lettuce and croutons in separate ziplock bags. When storing lettuce, you can add a paper towel to absorb any moisture.

If you don't fancy carbing it up, you can totally make this just as a salad (minus the pasta) with the croutons or half the amount of croutons you use.

If you don't fancy making your own dressing, you can mix the chipotle paste with a store bought dressing.
I use 1/2 mayo and yoghurt to give it some creaminess, but you can use either all mayo or all yoghurt.
If you don't like mustard simply leave it out.

I get bacon bits from Tesco usually found near the sauces and salad dressings.