Warm Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Chicken and Vegetables

St. John’s River

My nephew was hungry!

When it’s a beautiful day outside, I love having dishes that are light and easy. When I made this dish, I was cooking for my family (Aunt, Cousin, and 3 boys) at their house in Osteen, Florida, on the St. John’s River. After laying at the pool all day (and a quick happy hour in the screened in porch), this dish was a total hit.

My nephew was hungry!

… I mean… can you say no to this little guy?!?! ❤

Ingredients:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 box pasta of your choice
1-1.5 lbs chicken tenders
2 zucchini, diced
1 pint small cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can artichokes, chopped
1 cup olives (we used my aunt’s black olives in the pantry, but Kalamata or Castelvetrano would be extra delicious… we used sliced)
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled (preferably from the block)
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Make Lemon Vinaigrette: Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl, add salt and pepper (and dried oregano, parsley, or dill, if you want.)

Marinate chicken in part of the Lemon Vinaigrette for 30 minutes or up to a few hours.

Place chicken on baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until done. Allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving or slicing.

While chicken in baking, prepare pasta according to the package. Drain well and lightly oil. Set to the side in a large bowl to keep warm if needed.

Heat a medium saute pan with oil. Toss zucchini and cook until just cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. When done, toss with tomatoes. feta, dill, and artichokes and add to the large bowl.

Add cooked pasta and more lemon vinaigrette with the other ingredients. (adjust the amount of vinaigrette as needed for flavor.) Add additional fresh dill and toss.