Description
Mediterranean charm shines through this delightful chicken pasta salad, blending zesty herbs with tender chicken and crisp vegetables. Fresh ingredients and bold Mediterranean flavors create a refreshing meal you’ll crave on warm summer days.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (200 g) pasta (penne, rotini, or bowtie)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded (grilled or rotisserie)
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup cucumber, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or basil, chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Cook pasta in salted boiling water until perfectly tender, ensuring a delicate al dente texture. Immediately drain and refresh under cold water to halt cooking process and maintain optimal pasta consistency.
- Flavor Infusion: Craft a vibrant Mediterranean dressing by whisking olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, aromatic oregano, minced garlic, and seasoning until smoothly emulsified.
- Ingredient Symphony: In a spacious mixing vessel, artfully combine cooked pasta, tender chicken, vibrant cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny olives, sharp red onion, and verdant parsley. Drizzle prepared dressing generously and toss with gentle circular motions to distribute flavors evenly. Delicately incorporate crumbled feta cheese, allowing it to create creamy pockets throughout the salad.
- Flavor Melding: Allow salad to rest in refrigerator for minimum 30 minutes, enabling ingredients to harmonize and develop rich, complex taste profiles. Serve chilled or at ambient temperature, presenting a refreshing Mediterranean-inspired culinary experience.
Notes
- Cook pasta just until al dente to prevent mushiness when mixed with dressing and chilled.
- Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow ingredients to marinate and develop deeper taste profiles.
- Swap chicken with grilled tofu or chickpeas for vegetarian options, ensuring balanced protein content for different dietary needs.
- Whisk dressing ingredients thoroughly to create a smooth, well-integrated vinaigrette that coats each pasta and vegetable evenly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg