Tortellini Salad with Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
Tortellini Salad with Chicken
Description
This recipe pairs cooked chicken breast with fresh three-cheese tortellini and a variety of fresh vegetables including spinach, red onion, grape tomatoes, cucumber, and black olives. The salad incorporates crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh basil, offering both creamy and herbal notes. The dressing blends extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced fresh garlic, salt, and pepper, imparting a bright and savory dressing that complements the ingredients.
The chicken is pan-seared to a golden brown and cooked through, then rested and sliced or chopped. The tortellini is cooked al dente, rinsed under cold water to cool, and combined with the other components. Tossing the salad in the vinaigrette brings all the flavors together with a fresh and tangy finish.
This salad works well as a main dish or a hearty side and can suit various meal occasions from casual lunches to dinners. It is flexible, with options to substitute different tortellini types, add herbs, or swap ingredients according to preference. Serving chilled or at room temperature lets the flavors meld.
The included notes suggest variations such as using store-bought dressings, substituting chickpeas for a vegetarian option, and adding other vegetables or seasonings. Ingredient quantities can be halved for smaller servings.
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic about 2 large cloves, minced, grated, or pressed, fresh
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper ground
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 lb. chicken breast tenderloin or 2 cups of chopped or pulled rotisserie chicken, boneless, skinless
- 1 (9 or 10 ounce) three cheese tortellini pasta package, fresh
- 2 cups spinach baby, loosely packed
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved, or cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cucumber diced, seedless
- 1 (2.25 ounce) black olives drained, can, sliced
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup basil chopped, fresh, loosely packed leaves
Instructions
Prepare the Vinaigrette
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a large jar or measuring cup. Shake (or whisk) until completely combined. Set aside.
Prepare the Chicken
- If you're using cooked rotisserie chicken, you can skip this step!
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides, to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and allow the chicken to cook on one side, undisturbed, for at least 6-7 minutes. Flip, and cook the chicken for about 6-8 more minutes, or until it is nicely browned on both sides and cooked through.
- The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, or when the juices run clear.
- When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest.
Prepare the Tortellini
- Cook the tortellini in a large pot of well salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.
- While the tortellini cooks, dice the chicken into bite-size pieces or shred with two forks.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large bowl, gently combine the diced chicken, cooked tortellini, spinach, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese. Pour about ¼ cup vinaigrette over the salad (or more, to taste). Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.
- Serve the salad immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Stir in the chopped fresh basil just before serving. Add extra reserved vinaigrette to moisten the salad as needed, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing solidifies when chilled, just let the salad/dressing sit on the counter and come to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
- Use a favorite store-bought vinaigrette as a shortcut or flavor variation.
- Substitute chickpeas for chicken to make the salad vegetarian.
- Any type of tortellini—fresh, frozen, or dried—can be used following package instructions.
- Enhance with additional fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or oregano for more depth.
- Add different vegetables such as peas, carrots, or marinated artichokes to vary the texture and flavor.
- Swap feta cheese for mozzarella or Parmesan if desired.
- Reduce ingredients by half to prepare servings for fewer people.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 2606 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 260.6kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 18.3g | 6% |
| Protein | 19.6g | 39% |
| Fat | 12.3g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat | 2.4g | 12% |
| Cholesterol | 46.8mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 331.2mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 2.4g | 10% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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