Greek chicken pasta salad has fresh vegetables, chicken and pasta marinated in a Greek red wine vinaigrette with dill and feta cheese. Tangy, crunchy, cool and refreshing, it's perfect for a picnic, potluck or for meal prep.
Pasta salad is one of my favorite summery 'comfort foods'. We love a good kale chicken pasta salad, as well as an orzo pasta salad, but this Greek version has got to be my favorite!
Pasta salad makes me think of summer, and of my Nana, because I remember helping my mom make a pasta salad very similar to this one while visiting my Nana one hot and super humid summer in Ontario.
With a tangy red wine vinaigrette, dill, and feta cheese, this salad has a distinctively Greek flavor. Served cold, it benefits from allowing the veggies and pasta to marinate in the dressing for a few days...which also makes it perfect for meal prep!
Reasons you'll โก Greek chicken pasta salad
- it keeps well for up to 4 days
- it's a cold, refreshing meal and perfect for summer
- you can get creative with the veggies, protein and pasta that you use
Recipe video
Watch the video belowย to see exactly how I prepped this salad. Itโs so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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Choosing the right pasta shapes
You'll want to start by getting your pasta on to cook, and you'll need a full 8 oz. For pasta salad, I recommend a larger, sturdy pasta shape. Some great options include penne, rotini and bow tie. I would recommend avoiding orzo as it doesn't keep as well and should be consumed within 1-2 days.
You can use whole wheat, fiber-enriched pasta, or regular pasta. I have not tested chickpea, lentil,ย gluten-free or any alternative types of pasta. If you try them, I'd love to hear how they hold up in the vinaigrette!
Which veggies are best
As you can see from the image above, we are not being stingy with the vegetables in this salad! Just like for the pasta, I do recommend sticking to sturdier vegetables as well. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bell peppers will keep well in the vinaigrette for up to 4 days.
You can swap these vegetables out for what you have in the fridge, but remember that cucumber and leafy greens will not keep. Cherry tomatoes keep surprisingly well in this salad (2-3 days).
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The vinaigrette
For pasta salad, I love an assertive dressing like a red wine vinaigrette. For this Greek version, we've added dill to my staple red wine vinaigretteย recipe, and you can also add a clove or two of crushed garlic!
This dressing is really tangy and enhances the flavors of the vegetables, chicken and pasta, especially paired with the feta cheese.
The chicken
To make this a full meal, we've added some cooked boneless skinless chicken breast to the recipe. You can swap the chicken breast for boneless chicken thighs, which stay nice and juicy over several days.
Tip- cool your chicken completely before slicing, as this helps the juices settle and will help to keep the chicken breast from drying out.
If you are vegetarian, feel free to leave it out or replace with chickpeas.
Storage and meal prep tips
Pasta salad is one of my favorite prep ahead meals because it can easily keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. I cap it at 4 for this recipe because of the bell peppers (which start to get slimy) and the chicken (which is only food safe up to 4 days).
And the best thing about this recipe is that it actually gets better with time. As all the ingredients sit and marinate, the red wine vinaigrette absorbs into the pasta and veggies and gives them so much more flavor!
You can portion it out into individual meal prep containers, or store it in a large container.
Find my favorite meal prep containers here!
Swaps and variations
- vegetarian- swap the chicken for cannellini beans or chickpeas
- low carb- you could totally leave out the pasta and use zucchini noodles or even cucumber noodles in this recipe. However it won't keep in the dressing so make sure to dress it just before serving.
- side salad-leave out the chicken
- meal prep- store in the dressing in 2 cup storage containers for up to 4 days
- dressing: this creamy cilantro lime dressing would be great for a little southwestern change-up! You could add corn and black beans.
- swap for a balsamic vinaigrette and add roasted vegetables
- swap for this Asian sesame dressing and add slaw mix for an Asian twist
More prep ahead salads
- Wild Rice & Sweet Potato Salad
- Southwestern Sweet Potato & Lentil Jar Salads
- 21 Make Ahead Salads Perfect For Meal Prep
- Chopped Chickpea Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Almonds + Quinoa
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Healthy Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts roughly 4
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt & pepper
Pasta Salad
- 8 oz penne uncooked
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- 2 cups broccoli cut into small florets
- 2 cups cauliflower cut into small florets
- ยฝ red onion chopped
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- ยฝ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons dill (dry)
- 1 clove garlic minced (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Chicken
- Heat oven to 425ยฐF.
- Toss chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until cooked through.
- Allow chicken to cool before cutting into cubes.
Pasta Salad:
- Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse under cold water. Allow to cool.
- Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Shake together the vinaigrette and toss everything to coat.
- Allow to marinate for several hours before enjoying. Serve cold.
Meal Prep Instructions:
- Portion out into 2 compartment containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Serve cold.
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Video
Nutrition Information
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Deanna says
Just made this dish. It was quick and simple to prepare and delicious. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
anna says
This was amazing! I too was a nervous about the veggies being raw, but it was so good! the sauce really makes the meal! and I let it sit in the fridge overnight before putting in meal prep containers to really let that sauce sink in.
Thank you Denise for this website and your you tub channel. You have changed my life!!!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Anna! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this pasta salad, and that you've been enjoying the YouTube videos as well! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review ๐
Karen says
This pasta salad is great! I love the huge portion of veggies, and the delicious dressing that ties it all together.Yum!
Denise says
Hi Karen! So happy to hear you enjoyed. Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review!
Karen Jane says
This was pretty good! In an effort to reduce calories a bit I reduced dressing to 4 Tbsp oil, 4Tbsp vinegar and 2 Tbsp honey. It was still plenty to cover and not all soaked in and lost the next day. I would up the vinegar just a little bit for more zip. I cut back pasta to 6 oz and cheese to half a cup, but it was still a nice balance. The changes made it 5sp on weight watchers which is great. Would make again!
Denise says
Hi Karen, thanks so much for reporting back! So happy you enjoyed and that it fit into your WW plan!
Michelle says
Your recipes are always great and this did not disappoint. Made this tonight and it was a huge hit! Even my 4 and 2 year old ate it (with a little parmesan sprinkled on). I used chickpea pasta for a little added protein and fiber. Also reserved a little bit of the dressing to add later if needed since pasta salads tend to soak up their dressings. Thank you for the wonderful recipe ๐
Denise says
Woohoo! So happy to hear this, Michelle! Thank you for reporting back ๐
Polita says
I had my reservations about this recipe due to the raw broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. But my oh my, is this salad absolutely delicious! The raw vegetables add a lovely crunch and I love the vinaigrette and the addition of the feta. The rest of my family have started devouring it, so I'll have to make another batch for the rest of my lunches for the week.
Denise says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed! I'm not normally a huge fan of raw broccoli or cauliflower either. Thanks, Polita!
Karly says
I love pasta salads and how versatile they are! Thanks for sharing!
Denise says
Me too! Thanks, Karly ๐
Albert Bevia says
I could eat this pasta salad everyday, I love that homemade red wine vinaigrette and the colorful spread of veggies that you used, and oh yeah, I wont skip on the feta ๐
Denise says
Me too! Thanks, Albert ๐