Greek Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Salad

• 12 ounces rotini pasta
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 3/4 cup Kalamata olives
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley

For the Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Substitutions

• Chickpeas can replace chicken for a vegetarian salad.
• White wine vinegar can replace red wine vinegar.

Instructions

Step 1: Grill the Chicken

Heat a grill pan to medium-high. Coat chicken with oil, oregano, salt, and pepper; grill 5 to 7 minutes per side until 165°F.

Step 3: Cook the Pasta

Boil rotini in salted water until al dente, drain, rinse briefly, and cool on a tray.

Step 5: Dress the Pasta

Toss cooled rotini with half the vinaigrette so the spirals absorb flavor.

Step 7: Finish the Salad

Top with sliced chicken, drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, and serve cool or chilled.

Cool the Pasta Before Assembly

Spread the drained rotini out so it stops steaming before the cucumber, tomatoes, feta, and herbs go in. Warm pasta can soften those ingredients and pull moisture from them. Tossing the cooled spirals with part of the vinaigrette first seasons the pasta without flooding the finished salad.

How to Store Leftovers

Refrigerate the pasta salad within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. If you are preparing it ahead, keep some dressing back and fold it in just before serving because the pasta absorbs vinaigrette as it sits.

Store extra cucumber and herbs separately if you want a fresher crunch on the next day.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition is an estimate and can vary with brands, portion size, ripeness, and substitutions.