Greek Chicken Pasta Salad is a cold pasta salad with rotini, chopped chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, kalamata olives, red bell pepper, red onion, and a Greek dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, and garlic powder.
This is the kind of meal you make when you want something filling but still fresh. The chicken adds protein, the pasta makes it feel like a full meal, and the feta and olives give it that salty Greek-style bite. It’s a strong choice for lunch prep, cookouts, potlucks, or a no-stress dinner from the fridge.
You can serve it as the main dish or scoop it next to grilled chicken, burgers, wraps, or pita bread. It also travels well, which makes it useful when you need a make-ahead recipe that won’t fall apart after chilling. A large mixing bowl, colander, and small bowl are helpful for this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
It Works as a Main Dish
This pasta salad has chicken, pasta, vegetables, cheese, and dressing all in one bowl. It’s filling enough for lunch or dinner.
It’s Made with Common Ingredients
Rotini, cooked chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olives, and red onion are all ingredients you can find in most grocery stores.
It’s Good for Meal Prep
The salad chills before serving, so it’s made to sit in the fridge for a bit. That makes it useful for lunches or make-ahead dinners.
It Has Fresh Greek-Inspired Flavor
The dressing uses red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. It gives the pasta salad a tangy flavor without needing a heavy sauce.
It’s Potluck Friendly
This recipe makes 6 servings and can be served cold, which makes it a solid option for cookouts, parties, and shared meals.
Ingredient Substitutions
Rotini Pasta
Penne, bowtie, or fusilli can be used instead of rotini. Choose a pasta shape that holds dressing well.
Cooked Chicken Breast
Rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or leftover baked chicken can be used. Keep it chopped into bite-sized pieces.
Cherry Tomatoes
Grape tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes can be used instead.
Cucumbers
English cucumber or Persian cucumbers work well. If using a regular cucumber, remove some of the seeds if it seems watery.
Feta Cheese
Goat cheese can be used for a different texture, but feta gives the salad the most Greek-style flavor.
Kalamata Olives
Black olives can be used if you want a milder flavor.
Red Bell Pepper
Yellow or orange bell pepper can be used instead.
Red Onion
Green onions can be used for a milder onion flavor.
Fresh Dill
Leave it out if you don’t have it, or use extra parsley.
Red Wine Vinegar
White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used in a pinch, though the flavor will change a little.
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Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
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Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumbers chopped
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup kalamata olives sliced
- ½ cup red bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)
Greek Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until tender.
- Drain the pasta. Rinse the pasta under cold water.
- Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, olives, red bell pepper, red onion, parsley, and dill.
- In a small bowl, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Whisk until the dressing is blended.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad. Toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Stir before serving.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Chop Ingredients Small – Keep the chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, and onion in bite-sized pieces so each serving has a little of everything. Use Cooked Chicken That Is Not Too Wet – If using rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, pat off extra moisture before adding it to the bowl. This helps the dressing coat the pasta salad better. Chill Longer for More Flavor – Thirty minutes works, but the flavor gets stronger if it chills a little longer.Storing
Store in the Refrigerator – Place the pasta salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Stir Before Serving – Stir the pasta salad before serving because the dressing may settle as it chills. Do Not Freeze – Freezing is not recommended because the cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and pasta can change texture after thawing.Nutrition
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