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Cold lemon chicken pasta salad with feta in a glass bowl.
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5 from 1 vote

Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad with Feta

Lemon chicken pasta salad with feta, lemon, oregano, garlic, and parsley. This easy cold pasta salad with Mediterranean-inspired flavors, is fresh, light, and ready in 30 minutes.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 430kcal
Author: Preeti Nayak

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing bowl

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 300 g boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the Lemon Dressing

  • 4 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 small garlic clove minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the Pasta Salad

  • 250 g pasta cooked and cooled
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 English cucumber chopped
  • 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
  • ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled

Instructions

  • Season the chicken: Add chicken to a bowl or plate and top it with garlic powder, oregano, paprika, black pepper, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mix well and let it marinate for 15 minutes so the chicken absorbs all the Mediterranean-style flavors.
  • Cook the chicken: Heat a pan over medium heat and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until fully cooked. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Resting keeps the chicken juicy.
  • Make the lemon dressing: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a bowl or jar until smooth and well combined.
  • Assemble the salad: Add cooked and cooled pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, chopped chicken, and feta cheese to a large bowl.
  • Add dressing and toss: Shake the dressing ingredients again in the jar, then pour it over the salad in the bowl. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
  • Chill and serve: Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes for the best Mediterranean-inspired flavor.

Video

Notes

  • Cook the pasta slightly extra: I like to cook the pasta 1 minute more than al dente for pasta salads. Since we are not cooking it again, the pasta stays soft even after chilling. Just do not overcook it.
  • Let the chicken rest: After cooking, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before chopping. This keeps the chicken juicy.
  • Cool the pasta before mixing: Let the pasta cool completely before adding feta and vegetables so the salad stays fresh and does not turn watery.
  • Use fresh lemon: Fresh lemon juice and zest make a big difference in the flavor of this lemon chicken pasta salad.
  • Tastes best chilled: I like to refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes before serving. The pasta absorbs the lemon and oregano flavors and tastes even better.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal