Greek Tortellini Salad filled with juicy grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, kalamata olives, and feta cheese all tossed in a tangy homemade Italian dressing. Enjoy this flavorful and easy cold tortellini salad recipe at your next potluck, picnic, or as an easy weeknight dinner.
Tortellini Salad
Salads make up some of my favorite recipes. But salads filled with delicious cheese-filled pasta, colorful veggies, and tangy dressings are some of my favorites to serve during the warm spring, summer, fall, and (sometimes here in California) winter months.
Super easy to prepare, this fresh and crunchy cold tortellini salad is loved by just about everyone – young and old! Easily prepared ahead of time, and delicious leftover, this flavor-filled tortellini salad recipe has become my go-to recipe for potlucks, bbq’s, and meal prep as it refrigerates well and travels easily.
Ingredients in Greek Tortellini Salad
To make this Greek tortellini salad you will need the following ingredients,
- Cheese tortellini – You will find tortellini refrigerated, frozen, or even dried. I prefer to use fresh, refrigerated cheese tortellini, but all of the above will work fine.
- Chicken – In this tortellini salad recipe, I chose to marinate chicken breasts in a light herb Greek marinade and then grill them. You may use chicken breasts or chicken thighs and marinate them in a homemade marinade or one of your favorite store-bought marinades.
- Red onion – Thinly sliced or diced red onion. To mellow out the onions, soak them in warm water for approximately 10 minutes, drain, and dry thoroughly.
- English cucumber – Any kind of cucumber will work. I typically purchase English cucumbers. Feel free to peel or leave the skin on – completely up to you.
- Bell pepper – I added red and green bell pepper to this tortellini salad. Bell peppers are a great option if you’re looking to add extra veggies to this easy salad.
- Cherry tomatoes – Cherry or grape tomatoes, each work well here. Sweet and small they’re the perfect size for pasta salads.
- Kalamata olives – I love kalamata olives but feel free to add green or black olives if you prefer those. Just be sure to purchase pitted olives, otherwise, they’re the pits (see what I did there?) to remove.
- Feta Cheese – Feta cheese adds so much tangy, creamy flavor! Mozzarella balls are also delicious.
Optional additions
The best thing about this Greek chicken tortellini salad is that you can mix and match all your favorite Greek and Italian ingredients.
Additional options to consider include:
- pepperoncini (fav!)
- artichoke hearts
- heart of palm
- sliced salami
- mozzarella cheese
- pitted black or green olives
- avocado
How to make Tortellini Salad
Before you get started making your tortellini salad, first decide if you want to add chicken. If you answered, yes! Then you need to decide if you’re going to use a homemade marinade, store-bought marinade, or no marinade at all. Then, decide if you want to grill or bake your chicken.
Of course, you can always use leftover rotisserie chicken.
Let’s get started.
1. Marinate and cook the chicken first
- Prepare the marinade. Add all ingredients for the marinade (olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, fresh rosemary, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper) to a large shallow mixing bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the marinade and mix well to coat in the marinade. Allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to two hours.
- Prepare the grill. Clean grill grates and lightly oil with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Set grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly on the grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cover the grill and allow the chicken to cook for approximately 5 minutes before reducing heat to medium. Allow chicken to cook for an additional 2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each breast over. Grill for an additional 5-7 minutes (or longer), or until the thickest part of your chicken registers 160 degrees F. with a digital meat thermometer.
- Allow chicken to rest. Remove chicken breasts from the grill and set aside to a clean plate. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before chopping. Set aside.
If you prefer to bake your chicken simply,
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer marinated chicken to your prepared baking sheet. Cook for approximately 20-22 minutes, or until internal temperature reads 160-165 degrees F with a digital thermometer. Time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breast.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before chopping.
2. Make the dressing (or use store-bought)
- Add all ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper) to a jar and seal with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine and season with additional salt, pepper, or red wine vinegar to taste. Set aside.
3. Assemble the salad
- Prepare the Pasta and toss with prepared dressing – Prepare the tortellini according to package instructions and cook just until al dente. Drain and rinse well with cool water. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with half of the prepared Italian dressing.
- Combine – In a separate, larger bowl, toss together the remaining ingredients (onion, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, kalamata olives, and feta cheese). Drizzle with remaining dressing and mix well. Add the tortellini to the same bowl as the veggies and gently mix to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve- Serve or store leftovers in glass containers for easy week-long meal prep.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few of my trusty tips and tricks to make the very best Greek tortellini pasta salad.
- Chop your vegetables so that they are small and approximately equal in size. This makes for the easiest eating and therefore the most enjoyment.
- Serve it cold. You guys, this is not meant to be a hot or even warm salad. This is a cold(ish) salad and it will taste best when served that way.
- Do not overcook your tortellini. It’s important for the tortellini to be cooked just until al dente otherwise it will fall apart and turn mushy when tossed with the dressing.
- Get creative. Personally, I love this flavor combo and think it’s perfect, but don’t be afraid to mix things up or add your favorites. Some recommendations include-
- pepperoncini
- sundried tomatoes
- different cheeses (those cute little mozzarella balls are highly recommended)
- chickpeas
- Let things marinate. Not forever, but at least a good 10 minutes or so.
What to serve with Greek tortellini salad
Whenever I think about this cold tortellini salad or any cold pasta salad, I am reminded of the warm spring and summer months, outdoor bbq’s, grilling, and potlucks with friends and families.
I also think of meal prep.
Two of my favorite recipes to serve with this Greek tortellini salad include Grilled Veggie Skewers and Grilled Lamb Kebabs. It’s also fun to pair this salad with a fruit salad and Mediterranean Grilled Turkey Burgers.
Never forgetting the beverages, I enjoy this Italian Pasta Salad with a light and refreshing Margarita, Mojito, or Gin and Tonic.
Can you make tortellini salad ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely!
You can easily prepare tortellini salad the night before and enjoy the following day. Simply prepare the ingredients as instructed and store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy!
For best results–
- Wait to add the feta until just before serving.
- Prepare additional dressing as the ingredients will likely absorb some of the dressing overnight.
- Sprinkle with fresh minced herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme, etc).
- Drizzle with fresh lime juice just before serving.
To store leftover tortellini salad– transfer any leftovers to a container with a fitted lid. Transfer to the refrigerator and store for up to 2-3 days.
For more pasta salad recipes, check out:
- Spinach Pasta Salad Recipe with Strawberries
- Asian Pasta Salad Recipe with Chicken
- The Best Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
- Loaded Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad
- Herb and Bacon Pasta Salad
If you try making this Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Greek Tortellini Salad Recipe with Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 lemon - juiced
- 1/2 lemon - zested
- 2 tsp fresh thyme - chopped
- 2 tsp fresh oregano - chopped
- 2 tsp fresh parsley - chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary - chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 chicken breasts
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup good-quality olive oil
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon - juiced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
- salt and pepper - to taste
For the Tortellini Salad
- 10 oz cheese tortellini - cooked according to package instructions
- 1/2 red onion - diced
- 1 English cucumber - peeled, quartered, diced
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes - halved
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives - roughly chopped
- 4 ounces feta cheese - crumbled
- salt and pepper - to taste
- fresh oregano - to garnish
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Prepare the marinade. Add all ingredients for the marinade (olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, fresh rosemary, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper) to a large shallow mixing bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the marinade and mix well to coat in the marinade. Allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes to two hours.
- Prepare the grill. Clean grill grates and lightly oil with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Set grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly on the grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cover the grill and allow the chicken to cook for approximately 5 minutes before reducing heat to medium. Allow chicken to cook for an additional 2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each breast over. Grill for an additional 5-7 minutes (or longer), or until the thickest part of your chicken registers 160 degrees F. with a digital meat thermometer.
- Allow chicken to rest. Remove chicken breasts from the grill and set aside to a clean plate. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before chopping. Set aside.
For the Dressing
- Add all ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper) to a jar and seal with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine and season with additional salt, pepper, or red wine vinegar to taste. Set aside.
For the Salad
- Prepare the Pasta and toss with prepared dressing - Prepare the tortellini according to package instructions and cook just until al dente. Drain and rinse well with cool water. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with half of the prepared Italian dressing.
- Combine - In a separate, larger bowl, toss together the remaining ingredients (onion, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, kalamata olives, and feta cheese). Drizzle with remaining dressing and mix well. Add the tortellini to the same bowl as the veggies and gently mix to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve- Serve or store leftovers in glass containers for easy week-long meal prep.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Transfer marinated chicken to your prepared baking sheet. Cook for approximately 20-22 minutes, or until internal temperature reads 160-165 degrees F with a digital thermometer. Time will vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breast.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before chopping.
- Feel free to use your own favorite chicken marinade, if desired.
- Not a fan of kalamata olives? Black olives are a great substitute.
