Description
Best Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Salad is a fresh and vibrant dish made with tender chicken, pasta, crisp vegetables, feta cheese, and olives tossed in a light lemon olive oil dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
- 8 ounces penne or rotini pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Italian herbs, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Cook the chicken breast in a skillet with olive oil until golden brown and fully cooked. Allow it to rest before dicing.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and allow it to cool slightly.
3. Chop the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
4. In a large bowl combine the cooked pasta, diced chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and kalamata olives.
5. Drizzle olive oil and fresh lemon juice over the mixture.
6. Season with Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper.
7. Gently toss everything together until evenly combined.
8. Chill slightly or serve immediately.
Notes
For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs before cooking.
You can substitute whole wheat or gluten-free pasta if preferred.
Feel free to add additional Mediterranean vegetables like roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts.