Homemade Greek Chicken Pasta Salad

If you ask me, pasta salad gets a major upgrade when you add Mediterranean flavors.

This Greek-inspired dish combines tender chicken breast with rotini pasta, crisp vegetables, and tangy feta cheese. Juicy tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers mix with briny olives and pepperoncini for that classic Greek taste.

The chicken is seasoned simply and pan-seared until golden, then tossed with pasta and a homemade red wine vinegar dressing that’s got just the right amount of zing. Fresh parsley and oregano tie everything together with that herby brightness.

It’s a make-ahead friendly meal that works great for busy weeknights or potlucks, and it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.

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What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For Greek pasta salad, you’ll want to pick a pasta shape that can hold onto all that delicious dressing and catch the smaller ingredients in its nooks and crannies. Rotini, penne, or farfalle (bow-tie) are all great choices because their shapes trap the dressing and give you a little bit of everything in each bite. I usually go with rotini since the spirals really grab onto the olive oil dressing and keep things from getting dry. Whatever shape you choose, just make sure to cook it al dente since it’ll continue to soften a bit as it sits in the dressing, and you don’t want mushy pasta salad.

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Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is really forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chicken breast: You can use rotisserie chicken to save time, or swap in grilled shrimp, canned tuna, or chickpeas for a vegetarian option. If using canned tuna, drain it well before adding.
• Pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here – try penne, rotini, farfalle, or even orzo. Whole wheat or gluten-free pasta are fine substitutes too, just follow the package cooking instructions.
• Feta cheese: If you’re not a feta fan, crumbled goat cheese or diced mozzarella work well. For a dairy-free version, just leave it out and add extra olives for that salty, tangy flavor.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can step in here without any issues. The flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Pepperoncini: Banana peppers or pickled jalapeños make good substitutes if you want that tangy, slightly spicy kick.
• Olives: Use whatever olives you prefer – kalamata, black, or green all work. Not an olive person? You can leave them out entirely.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking your chicken breasts will leave you with dry, chewy pieces in your pasta salad – pull them off the grill when they hit 160°F and let them rest for 5 minutes, as the residual heat will bring them to a safe 165°F while keeping them juicy.

Adding the dressing to hot pasta is a rookie move that can make your salad greasy and cause the feta to melt into an unappetizing mess, so make sure both your pasta and chicken are completely cooled before mixing everything together.

For the best flavor, toss your pasta salad at least an hour before serving and give it a taste right before eating – you’ll probably need to add a splash more olive oil and a pinch of salt since pasta absorbs dressing as it sits.

Finally, don’t skip salting your pasta water generously (it should taste like the sea), because this is your only chance to season the pasta itself from the inside out.

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What to Serve With Greek Chicken Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty much a complete meal on its own since it’s packed with chicken, veggies, and pasta, but I love serving it with some warm pita bread or garlic knots on the side. If you’re feeding a crowd at a barbecue or potluck, it pairs really well with grilled corn on the cob or a simple fruit salad to balance out all those Mediterranean flavors. For a lighter option, you could add a side of hummus with some extra veggies for dipping, or even some tzatziki sauce that guests can drizzle over their portions. This dish is great for summer gatherings because it can sit out at room temperature and actually tastes better after the flavors have had time to blend together.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors really meld together overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or potlucks.

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad a day or two in advance, which is great for busy weeks. If you’re making it ahead, you might want to hold back a bit of the dressing and add it right before serving, since the pasta tends to soak it up over time.

Serve: This salad is delicious served cold or at room temperature. If it seems a bit dry after sitting in the fridge, just drizzle on a little extra olive oil and give it a good toss before serving.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2950-3200
• Protein: 125-140 g
• Fat: 155-170 g
• Carbohydrates: 270-290 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 4 boneless chicken breast (pounded to 1-inch thickness for even cooking)
• avocado oil
• salt
• pepper

For the pasta salad:

• 16 oz pasta (I always use Barilla rotini to hold the dressing)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 1 cup cucumber (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/4 cup pepperoncini
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 cup feta (I prefer President crumbled feta)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin provides the best flavor and aroma)
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Dressing

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup cucumber
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper

While you get your grill or pan heating, prepare all your vegetables and ingredients for efficiency.

Halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, finely dice the red onion, chop the fresh parsley, and crumble or have your feta ready.

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.

I prefer to make the dressing ahead of time so the flavors can meld while the other components cook.

Set the dressing aside at room temperature.

Step 2: Cook the Pasta

• 16 oz pasta
• salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini according to package directions until al dente.

Drain the pasta thoroughly and spread it on a sheet pan or in a large bowl to cool slightly while you cook the chicken.

I like to let the pasta cool a bit before mixing it with the dressing so it doesn’t get mushy and can better absorb the vinaigrette.

Step 3: Season and Cook the Chicken

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• avocado oil
• salt
• pepper

Pat the pounded chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then coat both sides generously with avocado oil, salt, and pepper.

Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.

Grill or pan-sear the chicken for 8-10 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

The pounded thickness ensures even, quick cooking without drying out the meat.

Step 4: Cool and Chop the Chicken

• cooked chicken from Step 3

Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to retain its juices.

Once cooled slightly, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces or chunks, roughly 1-inch cubes.

This allows the warm chicken to absorb some of the dressing flavor while you finish assembling the other components.

Step 5: Assemble the Salad

• cooked pasta from Step 2
• chopped chicken from Step 4
• prepared vegetables from Step 1
• 1/4 cup pepperoncini
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 cup feta
• dressing from Step 1
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 2, chopped chicken from Step 4, halved tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, pepperoncini, olives, and crumbled feta.

Pour the prepared dressing from Step 1 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.

Finally, sprinkle the fresh chopped parsley over the top and toss once more.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Homemade Greek Chicken Pasta Salad

Delicious Homemade Greek Chicken Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 3075 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken

• 4 boneless chicken breast (pounded to 1-inch thickness for even cooking)
• avocado oil
• salt
• pepper

For the pasta salad

• 16 oz pasta (I always use Barilla rotini to hold the dressing)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 1 cup cucumber (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/4 cup pepperoncini
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 cup feta (I prefer President crumbled feta)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin provides the best flavor and aroma)
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

 

• While you get your grill or pan heating, prepare all your vegetables and ingredients for efficiency. Halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, finely dice the red onion, chop the fresh parsley, and crumble or have your feta ready. In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified. I prefer to make the dressing ahead of time so the flavors can meld while the other components cook. Set the dressing aside at room temperature.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta thoroughly and spread it on a sheet pan or in a large bowl to cool slightly while you cook the chicken. I like to let the pasta cool a bit before mixing it with the dressing so it doesn't get mushy and can better absorb the vinaigrette.
• Pat the pounded chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then coat both sides generously with avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Grill or pan-sear the chicken for 8-10 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The pounded thickness ensures even, quick cooking without drying out the meat.
• Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to retain its juices. Once cooled slightly, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces or chunks, roughly 1-inch cubes. This allows the warm chicken to absorb some of the dressing flavor while you finish assembling the other components.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 2, chopped chicken from Step 4, halved tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, pepperoncini, olives, and crumbled feta. Pour the prepared dressing from Step 1 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated. Finally, sprinkle the fresh chopped parsley over the top and toss once more. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.