Description
A light and refreshing Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Salad featuring tender chicken breast, fresh vegetables, tangy feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, tossed with olive oil and served chilled or immediately. Perfect for a quick lunch or a healthy dinner option.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
Pasta & Dressing
- 8 oz penne or rotini pasta
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool it down.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the cooked, diced chicken breast, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, pitted Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Add pasta: Incorporate the cooled pasta into the bowl with the other salad ingredients.
- Dress the salad: Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the salad mixture, season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss gently to combine all components without breaking the ingredients.
- Chill or serve: Refrigerate the salad for 15 to 30 minutes to let flavors meld and serve chilled, or enjoy immediately if preferred.
Notes
- Use rotini or penne pasta as these shapes hold the dressing well.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water prevents it from sticking and cools it for the salad.
- Adjust salt to taste, especially if your feta and olives are salty.
- Can be made a few hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- Optional additions: chopped fresh parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of dried oregano for extra flavor.
