Description
A refreshing and easy Greek-inspired pasta salad featuring tender chicken, crisp vegetables, feta cheese, and a tangy oregano dressing.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (half a box) short pasta (e.g., fusilli, farfalle)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cooked and diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- For the dressing: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Prepare your chosen pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Cook chicken breast or thighs (grill, pan-sear, or boil) until cooked through, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop vegetables and herbs: Dice the cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the pitted Kalamata olives. Roughly chop the fresh parsley.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- Assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and red onion. Add the crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley.
- Dress and serve: Pour the prepared Greek dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to ensure everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- This salad can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and add more feta or chickpeas.
- Adjust the dressing tanginess by using more lemon juice if preferred over vinegar.