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Tortellini salad filled with tortellini, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, chicken, kalamata olives, bell pepper, and feta cheese.
4.84 from 30 votes

Tortellini Pasta Salad

This Easy Tortellini Pasta Salad is filled with pillowy cheese tortellini, juicy grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, kalamata olives, and feta cheese, all tossed in a tangy homemade Italian dressing. A delicious cold summer salad perfect for picnics, potlucks, and BBQs.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Servings: 8 as a side
Calories: 371kcal
Chef: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • ½ lemon - zested
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme - chopped
  • 2 teaspoon fresh oregano - chopped
  • 2 teaspoon fresh parsley - chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary - chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 chicken breasts

For the Homemade Dressing

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley - chopped
  • salt and pepper - to taste

For the Tortellini Salad

  • 10 oz cheese tortellini - cooked to al dente
  • ½ 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
  • ½ 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 the 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 it directly on the grill. Discard the remaining marinade. Cover the grill and allow the chicken to cook for approximately 5 minutes before reducing heat to medium. Allow the chicken to cook for an additional 2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each breast over. Grill for an additional 5-7 minutes, 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 cold water. Transfer the pasta to a large 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

You can also bake the chicken:
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  2. Transfer the 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.
  3. Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before chopping.
Additional notes:
  • Feel free to use your own favorite chicken marinade or try this reader's favorite Greek chicken marinade. 
  • Save time and use leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken.
  • Not a fan of kalamata olives? Black olives are a great substitute.
  • 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.
Leftovers: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Transfer to the refrigerator and store for up to 2-3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 2mg
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