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Greek Chicken Pasta Salad is perfect for an easy summer dinner and it’s a hit at barbecues and picnics! It’s loaded with seasoned grilled chicken, tangy marinated artichoke hearts, crisp veggies, briny olives and of course, plenty of salty feta! Toss it in a simple homemade red wine vinaigrette and it’ll be ready to serve in just over 30-minutes.
This Greek Chicken Pasta Salad is always on my mind on hot summer days. It’s a light, and fresh pasta salad that’s easy to make and never disappoints when I take it to barbecues and picnics. It’s also a weeknight dinner that the whole family can get behind. I love serving it with these Greek Meatballs or Greek chicken meatballs.
When it comes to pasta salads, I generally prefer ones that use vinaigrette versus a creamy mayo based dressing, unless of course it’s my dill pickle pasta salad or chicken bacon ranch pasta salad. The two things that were most important when making this Greek pasta salad were that it have lots of texture from the veggies, and zesty, tangy flavors from the red wine vinaigrette, artichoke hearts, and feta cheese. This pasta salad checks all of those boxes!
Ingredients For Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta – Fusilli was my pasta of choice, but farfalle, penne, shells, cavatappi, or orecchiette would all be great alternatives. Gluten-free pasta also works well. I like the brand Jovial.
Chicken – Chicken breast or chicken thighs can be used. I like to grill the chicken, but you could also just pan fry it or bake it in the oven.
Dried oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder – Spice blend for the grilled chicken. Oregano is also used in the vinaigrette.
Bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion – the vegetables for the pasta salad. Feel free to add more or omit any that you don’t like. I recommend using Persian cucumbers because they’re extra crunchy and you don’t need to peel or remove any seeds.
Artichoke hearts – canned or marinated artichoke heart both work. They add a nice bright tangy flavor to the salad.
Olives – I love to use kalamata or green olives such as castelvetrano. They add a wonderful salty and briny flavor to the salad.
Feta – Buy a block of feta versus pre-crumbled for the best taste and texture. A whole block usually has a creamier texture because it doesn’t have anti-caking agents added to it.
Red wine vinaigrette – This simple homemade vinaigrette is the perfect no-mayo dressing for this Greek pasta salad and it’s the same vinaigrette that I used in this Greek Orzo Salad. The vinaigrette is tangy, oregano-forward, and lightly sweet from the honey.
Flat leaf parsley – Adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor. Fresh dill can also be used.
How To Make Pasta Salad
- Grill the chicken. If you don’t have a grill cook it in a skillet on the stovetop, you can also use my Greek chicken bites. You can also bake the chicken in the oven at 400° F. Be sure to let if rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting it.
- Cook the pasta in generously salted water for the best flavor. This is a cold pasta salad and the pasta gets rinsed under cold water to stop the cooking process. Because of this, you’ll want to cook the pasta a minute beyond al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, prep the vegetables and make the vinaigrette. I find a jar with a lid works best for making vinaigrette. Just add in all the ingredients and give it a good shake until it’s well combined.
- Add the vegetables, chicken, olives, feta, and parsley into a serving bowl with the pasta. Start by adding in half of the vinaigrette. You’ll avoid having a soggy pasta salad this way and if it seems too dry you can always pour on more.
- Taste the pasta salad before serving. You may find that it needs additional salt and pepper. I almost always add an extra pinch. I also suggest doubling the vinaigrette if you make the pasta salad ahead of time. Pasta salads tend to soak up a lot of the dressing the longer they sit.
Greek Pasta Salad Tips and Variations
- Salt your pasta water heavily so that the pasta absorbs some of the salt. Think ocean water salty.
- Rinse the pasta in cold water to help keep it from sticking together.
- Save time and use rotisserie chicken. Be sure to remove the skin so it doesn’t get soggy.
- Make extra vinaigrette if you don’t plan to eat it all the day it’s made.
- Make it vegetarian. Leave out the chicken and add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.
- Make it vegan by omitting the feta and honey. The honey can be replaced with maple syrup if you prefer.
- Substitute the bell pepper with jarred roasted red peppers.
- Use different herbs. Substitute or add fresh dill in addition to the parsley.
What Else Can I Add?
There are so many options for mix-ins with this pasta salad. Here are some of my favorites!
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Pepperoncini
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Marinated feta
Serving Suggestions
Greek chicken pasta salad can be served as a main dish, but if you want to serve it as a side dish or with a side dish here are a few of my top picks. For extra protein I love to serve it with spicy shrimp with feta dip or baked salmon. For an extra side dish these Greek pita pizzas are a must as is this tzatziki sauce with pita bread for dipping.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead – You can make this salad a day ahead of time, but I would reserve some of the vinaigrette or make extra to freshen up the pasta salad on the day you serve it. The pasta absorbs quite a bit of the vinaigrette the longer it sits.
Storage – Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days, but tastes best the day it’s made. Don’t freeze it or it will be mushy when it thaws. This is a cold pasta salad and should not be reheated.
More Greek Inspired Recipes
Greek Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pasta salad
- 12 ounces fusilli pasta or pasta of choice
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions, be sure to salt the pasta water well. While the pasta cooks season the chicken with the dried spices. Grill, pan fry, or bake the chicken until it reaches 165° F. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes before dicing it.
- Once the pasta is cooked rinse and drain it under cold water. Let it continue to drain while you prep all of the vegetables and remaining ingredients for the pasta salad.
- In a jar or glass measuring cup, combine all of the ingredients for the red wine vinaigrette. Shake or whisk until well combined. Taste for seasoning.
- Add the pasta, diced chicken, and all of the vegetables, olives, feta, and parsley to a large serving bowl. Pour on half of the vinaigrette to start with and toss until coated. Add additional vinaigrette as needed. Taste the pasta salad for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
