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A simple Mediterranean-inspired cold tortellini pasta salad with chicken, veggies, feta, and olives in a red wine vinaigrette is the recipe of the season! This crowd-pleasing dish is a great make-ahead dinner, an easy contribution to your next potluck, and a packable solution for picnics or travel.

Overhead shot of a bowl of tortellini salad on a turquoise table with a side of biscuits and salad.
Table of Contents
  1. Ingredients for a Cold Tortellini Salad
  2. How to Make Tortellini Salad
  3. What to Serve with Tortellini Salad
  4. Preparation and Storage Tips
  5. Recipe Variations
  6. Tips for the Best Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
  7. Tortellini Salad with Chicken Recipe

If you’re looking for even more easy salad recipes, be sure to try this English pea salad, a cucumber tomato onion salad, this marinated vegetable salad, and a broccoli grape salad, too!

You can’t beat a cold tortellini salad for an easy summer meal! Cheese tortellini comes together with chicken, fresh vegetables, olives, and feta cheese in a simple vinaigrette for a satisfying and nutritious make-ahead lunch or dinner.

When my family of 5 devours a meal without complaint, I consider it the ultimate culinary stamp of approval! There’s nothing particularly fancy, difficult, or unusual about this recipe. Instead, it’s just a lovely combination of really delicious, fresh ingredients that work perfectly together. You can even start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for minimal prep!

Red wine vinaigrette in a jar.

Ingredients for a Cold Tortellini Salad

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a simple tortellini salad recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

  • Extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar: come together to create a classic vinaigrette that highlights the rest of the ingredients.
  • Garlic: for savory flavor.
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
  • Chicken: use raw chicken breast tenderloins (which cook quickly in a skillet), or start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.
  • Tortellini pasta: I use a refrigerated three cheese tortellini, but another variety of cooked tortellini will work well, too. Try a sausage-filled tortellini, frozen tortellini, dried tortellini, or tri-colored tortellini.
  • Baby spinach, red onion, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, and cucumber: fresh veggies that bulk up the dish, and also contribute great flavor, color, and texture.
  • Sliced black olives: for a salty, briny touch.
  • Feta cheese: a classic cheese that adds salty, creamy, Mediterranean flavor to the dish.
  • Basil: use fresh herbs for the best flavor.
Draining tortellini pasta in a colander.

Should you rinse pasta for pasta salad?

Yes, I recommend rinsing the tortellini for this cold pasta salad. The rinsing accomplishes two things:

  • Stops the cooking process and cools down the pasta right away so that you can toss it with the veggies, chicken, and dressing; and
  • Removes some of the starches so that the tortellini doesn’t stick together in a big clump as it cools.
Pouring dressing over a bowl of tortellini salad.

How to Make Tortellini Salad

The total prep time for this Greek pasta salad, from start to finish, is about 30 minutes. To make the process most efficient, prep the vegetables while you’re waiting for the pasta and the chicken to cook! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:

  • Boil the tortellini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool.
  • Cook the chicken in a skillet, or use pre-cooked chicken (such as a rotisserie chicken) for a shortcut.
  • Shake together the red wine vinaigrette.
  • Toss everything together in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Add the basil just before serving.
Square overhead shot of the best tortellini salad recipe in a white bowl.

What to Serve with Tortellini Salad

This hearty dish is filling enough to serve as an entrée, but it also works as a side dish with a piece of fish or grilled meat. Here are a few options that go well with the cold tortellini salad:

Side shot of a bowl of cold tortellini salad.

Preparation and Storage Tips

  • Make Ahead: For convenience, you can make this chicken tortellini salad the night before you plan to enjoy it. You might need to add a little bit more dressing to the salad the next day if you find that the pasta has absorbed too much of the vinaigrette. If the dressing solidifies when it’s chilled, just let it sit on the counter and come to room temperature before using.
  • Storage: The pasta salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  • I do not recommend freezing the tortellini salad. The pasta and vegetables will be mushy when thawed.
Wooden spoons in a white bowl of tortellini pasta salad.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of making your own dressing, sub with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette. Any Italian dressing, vinaigrette, pesto, or Greek dressing will work!
  • Make it vegetarian by substituting a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas for the chicken.
  • Use just about any tortellini that you like. Frozen or dried tortellini is fine as a sub for the fresh tortellini — just cook according to package directions. You can also use a meat or spinach-filled tortellini instead of the cheese tortellini.
  • Try adding more fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or chives. Italian seasoning would also give the dish even more Mediterranean flavor.
  • Give it a little bit of a spicy kick with some crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Use other veggies, such as frozen peas (thawed), diced carrots, marinated artichoke hearts, or diced sweet red bell pepper. Capers or kalamata olives would also be great!
  • If you don’t care for feta cheese, try cubed mozzarella, shaved Parmesan cheese, or the little fresh mozzarella pearl balls.
  • Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half.
Close overhead shot of a bowl of tortellini salad with chicken and veggies.

Tips for the Best Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe

  • Cook the tortellini just until al dente, so that it’s not too mushy in the salad.
  • Liberally salt the pasta cooking water, since this is your chance to season the tortellini.
  • Rinse the tortellini under cold water to stop the cooking process. This also removes some of the starches from the pasta so that it doesn’t stick together.
  • This recipe yields about 1 cup of dressing, but you will not need all of it initially. Save the extra dressing for later, since you might want to add a bit more vinaigrette to your tortellini salad if the salad has been sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Overhead image of wooden serving spoons in a bowl of cold tortellini salad with chicken.

More Cold Pasta Salad Recipes to Try

Square overhead shot of the best tortellini salad recipe in a white bowl.

Tortellini Salad with Chicken

4.94 from 43 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total: 30 minutes
Servings 8 cups
Calories 260.6 kcal
A simple Mediterranean-inspired cold tortellini salad with chicken is a fresh, healthy, and satisfying lunch or dinner!

Ingredients
  

FOR THE DRESSING

FOR THE SALAD

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins (or 2 cups of chopped or pulled rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 (9 or 10 ounce) package fresh three cheese tortellini pasta
  • 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
  • 1 cup diced red onion
  • 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced seedless cucumber
  • 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

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.
    Red wine vinaigrette in a jar.

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.
    Bowl of shredded cooked chicken.

Prepare the Tortellini

  • Cook the tortellini in a large pot of well salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.
    Draining tortellini pasta in a colander.
  • 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.
    Pouring dressing over a bowl of tortellini salad.
  • 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.
    Overhead shot of a bowl of tortellini salad on a turquoise table with a side of biscuits and salad.

Notes

  • Instead of making your own dressing, sub with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette. Any Italian dressing, vinaigrette, pesto, or Greek dressing will work!
  • Make it vegetarian by substituting a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas for the chicken.
  • Use just about any tortellini that you like. Frozen or dried tortellini is fine as a sub for the fresh tortellini — just cook according to package directions. You can also use a meat or spinach-filled tortellini instead of the cheese tortellini.
  • Try adding more fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or chives. Italian seasoning would also give the dish even more Mediterranean flavor.
  • Give it a little bit of a spicy kick with some crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Use other veggies, such as frozen peas (thawed), diced carrots, marinated artichoke hearts, or diced sweet red bell pepper. Capers or kalamata olives would also be great!
  • If you don’t care for feta cheese, try cubed mozzarella, shaved Parmesan cheese, or the little fresh mozzarella pearl balls.
  • Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 260.6kcalCarbohydrates: 18.3gProtein: 19.6gFat: 12.3gSaturated Fat: 2.4gCholesterol: 46.8mgSodium: 331.2mgFiber: 2.4gSugar: 1g
Keyword: chicken pasta salad, cold tortellini salad, pasta salad, tortellini pasta salad, tortellini salad, tortellini salad recipe
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Blair Lonergan

This recipe was originally published in April, 2018. The photos were updated in June, 2023.

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

Read More

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Hands serving a platter of sheet pan sausage and potatoes

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Comments

  1. This looks amazing — can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the giveaway, too! Love how the pots stack together!

  2. As a newlywed, I would love to have a new set of pots and pans to used in making this salad. It looks delicious. I bet the red pans would be beautiful!

  3. I have a mix matched srtbuo pans and as a ‘grownup’ (do we ever real grow up?) I would love a matching set! What a great giveaway.

  4. Blair! Entering this giveaway, and also just wanted to let you know that we have been pulling HEAVILY from your blog while we live with my folks (waiting on those home renovations) looking for things to feed a crowd of 6 ranging in age from 2 to 70 and literally every recipe has been a hit. You’re the best!

    1. Em!!! You seriously know how to make a girl feel good! I love knowing that my recipes are being enjoyed by your whole family. Say hi to your parents for me, too! Mwah!

  5. You seriously rock, Blair! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, I was eyeing it last week on your blog ????

    My daughter and I are heading up to the Skylinr Drive this afternoon…we will have to check out Whiteoak Canyon Trail sometime!

    Great giveaway too- good luck to everyone!

    1. Hi, Megan! Thank you!! Whiteoak Canyon is definitely a great one to bring your daughter to. Hope you enjoyed Skyline Drive today. Such a beautiful afternoon!

  6. Recently found your site, we have been trying everything as it’s easy to whip up for dinner, game changer . Thanks so much, from our small family with young kiddos 🙂

    1. Hi, Jaci! Yay! I’m so glad that you found the site and that the recipes have been helpful. Thanks for letting me know, and have a great weekend!

  7. 5 stars
    You know you’ve reached adulthood when you get excited for new pots and pans!!! Lol Can’t wait to try the recipe!

  8. Looks delicious! Those pans look so handy — I am always so frustrated with how my cabinet with all the pots, pans, lids, etc. is always a mess!

  9. Would love to win the giveaway sets. Did I mention today is my birthday?! I enjoyed Chi-Chi’s famous Texas sheet cake. We pretty much use this recipe now for all the birthdays. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Happy birthday, Amanda! I’m so glad to hear that you love the cake recipe! It’s such a family favorite around here, too! 🙂

  10. This looks delicious and light! Adding it to the meal plan for this week!

    Also, we have been on the hunt for new pots and pans to replace the ones we got from our wedding. These would be perfect 🙂

  11. Thanks for offering the giveaway! I check your blog every Sunday morning. Your little guys are so cute! My kids are all in high school or college now, so when we make your recipes, we’re doubling things up.The tortellini salad looks like a good possibility for us, especially for lunches. Thanks for the idea!

    1. Thank you, Barbara! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy the blog! When my boys are all in high school, I have a feeling that I’ll need to double and triple every recipe as well! Yikes! 🙂

  12. Perfect timing! I am looking for recipes to take with me on the weekends for lunch as I sit at softball tournaments with my daughter, this will be the first one I try! The Faberware looks fantastic, I hope this idea catches on, we could all use cookware that stacks neatly and goes in the dishwasher.

  13. 5 stars
    What a great recipe. I also could use those pans, Now I have something new to fix for dinner. I just know my family will love this.

  14. This recipe looks absolutely delicious and the great thing is it looks like one everyone in my family will eat and those are the kind of recipes I’m looking for since I have finicky kids that never agree at meal times. I love the pots they look so stream lined and professional,like anything I cook in them will turn out perfect!

  15. Wow this salad looks and sounds so delicious. It has all the ingredients that I love and I also love how simple the dressing is. I can’t wait to try it.

  16. 5 stars
    This looks great! I can not wait to try. All of your meals have proved to be quite tasty and easy for me as a mom of busy teens.
    I am excited to enter for the give away as well.

  17. I love that salad. Not only is it amazingly beautiful, it is very healthy. I plan on making this for my ladies reading group. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe. I have not seen these stackable pans before. They are perfect for a small kitchen

  18. I have tried many of your recipes and have never been disappointed. I’m getting ready to remodel my kitchen , and new cookware would be a nice addition.

  19. This looks like something me and my spouse will have to investigate we have just lost 100 pounds–and am trying to get my spouse to
    get more healthy too–It has been a hard struggle but we will survive–thank you for the recipe
    Norma Smith
    Santee, CA.

  20. 5 stars
    Everything looks so good you have made! Happy Earth Day! I love Farberware, and this set would make for a great replacement! I use mine until they wear out and they are certainly hitting the worn out phase.

    I am loving they are donating to the National Parks!

  21. This looks AWESOME. It’s on the menu for Thursday when I’m having guests! The pots & pans look awesome too, but I like food better.

  22. 5 stars
    This sounds so good! Pots and pans would definitely come in handy we only have 3 pans and it’s hard to cook all the time with only a couple

  23. 5 stars
    Can’t wait to try this recipe! Love everything with tortellini in it. Would love to win the pots and pans – mine are as old as the hills and cook like they are! .Thanks for offering this giveaway!

  24. this recipe looks delicious…I will have to try it when I get paid….I like a lot of your recipes…they are all easy to make and are a wonderful addition to my dinners….I subscribed a while ago and find your recipes very good and tasty….thank you for sharing!!!

  25. I’ve never tried a Tortellini pasta salad before, this looks like a yummy one to try especially with the warmer weather.

  26. 5 stars
    Blair, this recipe looks delicious…I will have to try it when I get paid….I like a lot of your recipes…they are all easy to make and are a wonderful addition to my dinners….I subscribed a while ago and find your recipes very good and tasty….thank you for sharing!!!

  27. Hi Blair, I have been following your recipes by email and even forwarding then to friends and family to try! I’ve always loved to cook and as a relatively new mom of two already ravenous boys and a husband, I need your quick prep, hearty recipes often! Thanks for all your effort with helping others cook!

  28. 5 stars
    the salad looks really good , can’t wait to make it an try it. as for the pans if I could win that would be a wonderful blessing. I live in a apartment with a small kitchen little storage space to be had. So this would make my cooking a joy when it comes to having the correct pot an pan for the thing I am cooking.

  29. Can’t wait to try this salad. And my tiny kitchen would LOVE those pots and pans! Thank you for sharing your tips, tricks, and yummy recipes!

  30. Love to read what you and your family are up to! Outside is so great when you live in Va. Food is always so healthy on your site. Keep up the great blog. Blessings, Mary

  31. This salad looks delicious; light, tasty and healthy! Having recently lost 75 pounds, I am always trying to make healthy and yet tasty dishes. Winning a new set of cookware would certainly help with that task!

    1. Hi, Alice! Congrats on your weight loss — that’s a huge accomplishment! I hope that this easy recipe helps you continue to enjoy your lighter meals! 🙂

  32. My Wife and I moved to Saint Maries, Idaho to take care of Her 94 year old.Mother that has short term memory loss, but she still has a quick witted mind. She is always getting me with Zinners!
    I do all the cooking, so I am constantly looking up your meal plans for something new to cook for Her and my Wife so I don’t bore them with the same-o…same-o. My Mother-in-Law is always asking me, “Are you going to surprise me with one of ‘Blair’s Recipes’ tonight?” When I answer yes, she can hardly wait to eat. We have never been disappointed yet!
    My pots and pans are a little over 20 years old and pretty beat up. Some of the handles are even taped on. Your giveaway would just be perfect. Thank you for giving me the chance to enter and also Thank you for your recipes that keeps my meals exciting and healthy. Have a great Yeear!

    1. Jimmy! That makes me so happy to hear! Good for you — it’s no easy task to take on the kitchen duties to feed a family. I’m so glad that my recipes have made your job easier. Thank you for your kind note!

    2. Hi, Jimmy! Congrats!!!! You are the winner of the giveaway! I will send you an email shortly with further instructions!

  33. I have enjoyed your posts for quite a while now. Being originally from VA but in NC, I have fond memories visiting some of the places you and your family go to. You’re recipes are so fresh and taste, our family love them. Thank you for your time and attention to all if us why follow you.

    1. Hi, Amy! That’s so great to hear! I’m glad that our adventures bring back happy memories! VA is a great place to live (but NC is also wonderful). My mom’s family is from NC, so I’ve spent some time there as well! 🙂

  34. Blair: Wonderful looking pasta salad and clever Neat Nest cookware. Your photos of Central Virginia are always so picturesque! We visited Harper’s Ferry last fall and fell in love with the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains, the waterways, and abundant trees. What a fantastic place to live and raise a family!

    1. Hey, Stephanie! The mountains are definitely one of my favorite parts of living here. I try not to ever take them for granted! 🙂 Thanks for your sweet note. Have a great week!

  35. Oh Blair, I love your recipes and once I use them I share them with my beautician, my daughter and my daughter-in-law. I cannot wait till Sunday rolls around and I hear from you. This 70 year old woman really has something to look forward too now. I love your recipes, your stories and most of all your family. I went through your meal planning and have learned so much from you. I feel like you are my next door neighbor and I could ask you any “cooking question” that might come up. I have really tried most of your recipes and they have been delicious. Going to the grocery store with a grocery list that is all organized has cut my food bill down and I don’t wind up thinking I don’t have it and buying more of what I already have at home. Your are a very good person for sharing all of these details with all of us. A lot of times someone else’s knowledge is like GOLD!!!!!!! Thanks again for the free giveaway offer. I love gadgets, pots and pans and all the kitchen items that make my life easier. Thanks again for being you! I can’t wait to try these new recipes and will wait for next week.

    1. Donna! You sure know how to make a girl feel good! 🙂 Thank you for your kind note. It brings me so much joy to know that my recipes and my little blog posts are helpful and entertaining for you. Thank you for reading!!

  36. Love the idea of this pasta salad! I agree with your boys though, so will probably nix the olives.
    Also excited about the giveaway; Farberware makes great stuff! It’s really cool that they’re doing this for us!

  37. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to try this chicken salad. I have been really enjoying all the info and recipes you have shared. Thank you for the give away offer.

  38. This salad looks amazing! I love that the ingredients are simple and it’s just so fresh and full of flavor. Definitely saving this one.

  39. What a wonderful idea for a Spring meal. I don’t like slaving over hot food in the kitchen when spring arrives. I just hope spring arrives soon. Love all your recipes!!

  40. This looks delicious! So easy and able to make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken. Can’t wait to try it!

  41. Hi Blair! Good to see you and all the men in your family out enjoying the park. Always so much to discover. And we can finally start to celebrate Spring! Easy cooking ideas, picnics and a giveaway! Absolutely superb! Enjoy the rest of the day.

  42. I love the Blue Ridge Mountains! They are so pretty! I would love some new pots and pans. Mine are all scratched and very mis-matched

  43. Thank you for all of your family friendly recipes. I have tried several and our family has really enjoyed them. I make a weekly meal plan now using your printable meal plan sheet and I am ready for the week. This recipe is definitely going on my meal plan for the following week. Thanks for the opportunity to win these great sets.

    1. That’s awesome, Roxy! I’m so happy to hear that the recipes and meal planning have been helpful. Thank you for your kind note!

  44. I love your blog! Your food is simple but delicious. Just what I need as a busy mom! Thanks for the chance at the giveaway. Looks like a great set of pots and pans.

    1. Thank you, Andrea! I’m so glad that the quick recipes make time in the kitchen easier for you. Thanks for reading along with us! 🙂

  45. This sounds so wonderful, going to have to try it!! Love your giveaway, thank-you for offering it. Thanks for all that you share with us.

  46. Hi Blair- I recently found your site! Your Dump and Bake method really caught my eye; I’m all about simplicity in the kitchen!
    This dish looks like a real winner and I’m super excited to try it!!
    Thank you for such quick and diverse meals!

    1. Hey, Kathleen! So glad to “meet” you! I have SO MANY dump-and-bake recipes on the blog, so I hope that you find some new favorites. I’m all about quick and simple in the kitchen, too. Thanks for reading!

  47. Despite everyone’s hectic schedulenowadays, ialways make time to read your email blog each week, not to mention I’ve made several of your recipes. Thanks for all of your hardwork and keeping it real with so many of us each week.

    1. That’s so good to hear, Erin! Thank YOU for taking time out of your busy life to read the blog. I appreciate it so much! 🙂

  48. Hey! I am so excited to have stumbled across your blog. We live a hop, skip and a jump away in Charlottesville. I’m actually making your skinny stuffed peppers for dinner right now but now this is on the list for later this week, it looks great. Thanks for the recipe 🙂

    1. Hi, Stephanie!!! We’re practically neighbors! 🙂 I’m in Charlottesville at least once or twice a week for errands like Costco or doctor’s appointments. So glad that you found the blog! 🙂

  49. The salad looks so good. The feta makes me think I might want to try it with kalamata olives. The Farberware sets are brilliant–stackable without scratching them plus dishwasher-proof. Two thumbs up!

  50. Perfect Salad for the summer. I have been trying your recipes for about 6 months now. I am cooking for 2. My husband is currently taking chemo treatments and his tastes changes all the time. One day he will love it, the next day not so good. I am always on the look out for new, easy, quick and healthy meals. Your recipes have made my life a lot easier. Thank you

    1. Wonderful, Ruth! Thank you, thank you for your kind note. I hope that your husband is feeling better soon! xoxo

  51. This salad looks so delicious; I can’t wait to try it!! It sounds so perfect for a hot summer day!! We have a lot of picnics with family and friends all summer long, so I’m always looking for something new to try. I also belong to several different sewing groups and need great ideas for pot luck meals. I love how all your recipes are so simple and quick to make.
    The pots and pans look awesome!! We’ve been married for 46 years and some of the things in my kitchen are that old.
    Thank you so much.

  52. This would be an awesome gift to win. So I can try out your amazing recipes. I loved them all. Thank you so much for all you give.

  53. What a beautiful salad, I can’t wait to try this. I’ll be making it this week. Thanks for the giveaway, too! Love how the pots stack together!

  54. What a beautiful salad, I can’t wait to try this. I’ll be making it this week. Thanks for the giveaway, too!

  55. Thank you Blair! I am always looking for things that pack well for lunches away from home! This looks so delicious and healthy! Thanks also for the awesome give a way! Very exciting! I always wonder what products you are using for meal prep!

  56. 4 stars
    Looks yummy. Definitely adding this one to my recipe binder. :)Thank you for the chance to win the cookware.

    1. Thank you, Chris! I’m so glad that you enjoy the posts, and I appreciate that you take the time to stop by each Sunday and catch up!

  57. This salad looks like spring in a boel!! Crisp & delicious!! Easy enough to make & even easier to enjoy!! Thanks for the post????

  58. This salad looks amazing! Thanks for sending it to my inbox! I enjoyed hiking with my daughter when she was a Girl Scout.

  59. Love this salad. Can’t wait to try it. Getting ready to prep it now. Am participating in study dealing with diet and dementia and find that I could always use your delicious recipes. Love the idea of the nesting pots — one has only so much space!

    1. That’s wonderful, Helen! I’m so happy to hear that my recipes work well with the study that you’re participating in! Thanks for your note. 🙂

  60. I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love all of the ingredients you’ve used. The pots and pans would be a fantastic addition to my very, very small kitchen. Thank you, for the opportunity to win them.

  61. Love farber ware they stand behind their products. I am still using what’s left of my set I bought 35 years ago! Quality speaks and cooks for itself! This recipe is a must make too! Thank you

    1. That’s amazing, Cindy! They are definitely high quality, sturdy pots and pans! 🙂 Thanks for your note!

  62. Thank you for the recipes and the chance to win this very nice Farberware set! I have printed the recipe for Chicken and Tortellini Salad — I think everyone will like it. 🙂

  63. 5 stars
    Can’t wait to try this. It looks awesome!
    Seems real easy to make. I love a great salad.
    Thank you for doing the give away.
    Can’t wait to see who wins. And thank you
    For the awesome recipes

  64. Oh Blair…..You never cease to amaze me!! I love getting your emals and have tried your recipes….awesome.
    I bought my house 40 years ago this Labor Day. My uncle, who was a sheet metal worker, told me to buy GOOD cookware….Farberware! I still use that OLD set today. It’s been burned, scratched…..you name it. It doesn’t look as good as new but it does get the job done.

    BUT…I would love to win that new set of Farberware! It’s beautiful. It would still work good for inbetween sized cooking.
    I have got to try the salad, too. You come up with some extreeeeeeemly yummy recipes.

    Have a wonderful week, I’m going shopping for tortellinni!!

    Hugs, Lauren

    1. Hi, Lauren! The Farberware is so sturdy, right?! Thank you for your kind note and for reading the blog! 🙂

  65. Love almost ALL your recipes! Just cooking for myself is hard but with your help, I’ve been very pleased with the results. And I live in Canada!! Have to do some adapting but I love it.

  66. This Chicken and Tortellini Salad looks fantastic! I can’t wait to try it myself. The pans are wonderful, keeping my fingers crossed… Thank you for the chance!

  67. So excited to see this salad recipe. Lots of get togethers planned in next few months to celebrate graduations and birthdays. This will definitely be on the buffet table. Thank you!

  68. This looks like an amazing summer or anytime salad. Will definitely be making this one for my family. I live in NC at the Blue Ridge Mountains love the scenery of your walks each time I see them. Thank you for the wonderful recipes.

    1. Hi, Debbie! The NC Blue Ridge are also a beautiful part of the country! Thanks so much for your note. 🙂

  69. I can’t wait to try this when the vegetables start coming in. I am so excited to plant my own little garden this year!

  70. 5 stars
    This looks fantastic! We love pasta salad in our house so I will definitely give this a try. Thanks for the chance to win this awesome gift.

  71. 5 stars
    Love the giveaway & they’re stackable that could really use these pots/pans as mine are as they as old as dirt they’re so old. I’m going to keep this salad as a summer staple for anytime. I’ve been trying several of your recipes since I’ve been reading your blog and the family has enjoyed them some of them I put my own twist on. I enjoy reading about your family adventures and having to keep the kids busy as I can relate to that. Keep bringing those great recipes!

  72. Hi Blair! I want to enter! The pots look amazing! And as usual you provide us with another great recipe! Thanks do doing this!

  73. Hello I am entering your latest contest……………thank you so much for always sharing such interesting articles and reviews and its a bonus when you share a recipe with all of us.

  74. Wow what a great set of pots and pans! With a tiny kitchen and limited space, thy would work quite well. Love that they stack and protect themselves

  75. 5 stars
    I was looking for a dump chicken and noodle recipe when I found your site.. So glad I did! I’ll be back son and often to see what you’re cokin; this week!

  76. 5 stars
    I am always looking for a new recipe for my family of 6!! The kids are super excited to try this one out! Glad to see we have a chance at the pots and pans, could really use a new set. Ours get a lot of use????

  77. 5 stars
    Blair I love how quick and easy your recipes are to prepare. Grandma’s Eggplant Parmesan is still one of our favorites. I share your blogs and recipes when I can. Thank you for sharing your family and your passion for food.

    1. Thank you, Cynthia! The Eggplant Parm will always be one of my favorites as well! 🙂 Thank you for sharing my recipes with your friends, too!

  78. 5 stars
    It looks so yummy, I love your recipes! Would love to win new set of pots and pans :)) thank you for the chance

  79. That looks absolutely delicious. I love that you can prepare it ahead of time and it only gets better. Thank you for the chance to win!

  80. It looks so yummy, can’t wait to try it. I love your recipes! Would love to win new set of pots and pans :)) thank you for the chance

  81. 5 stars
    Such a healthy and delicious recipe! It looks so colorful, festive and perfect for summer! I will be trying this out soon as the ingredients are all very appealing to my husband and myself! Lovely share!

  82. Holy WOW, note to self do not read a food post at 9a that is not a breaksfast post. I am now going to head into my kitchen and make this. I have almost all the ingredients (no fresh basil).
    Thank you this is dinner tonight and it will have plenty of time to absorb the flavor (nice note to keep extra to refresh it, I always forget about that when making a pasta with dressing)

  83. I love hearty salads like this for summertime (we’ve already hit 90 degrees, so as far as I’m concerned it’s summer already!!!)

  84. 5 stars
    This looks simply amazing.I can’t wait to try it.The stackable pans look amazing too.When you have a small kitchen,these would be a bonus! Thankyou!

  85. Good afternoon, Blair
    I want to let you know that I look forward to you “Week In Meals” every Sunday. I have made a lot of your dishes, especially the Dump & Bake. By the time we get home from work, I don’t feel like cooking. Your dishes make a delicious supper and there is always enough for lunch the next day, even for my son and daughter-in-law. I don’t change the recipe for only 2 just for this reason.
    Thanks for the great meals
    Patti

    1. Hi, Patti! Thank you so much for your kind note! I’m thrilled to know that your family enjoys the recipes. I think leftovers are great the next day, too! 🙂

  86. 5 stars
    Blair I have followed your receipts and your beautiful family for several years. Always look forward to watching your children grow. And the great tasty recipes are a huge time savor and family loves them thanks for being there I hope you continue on for many years!

  87. I really enjoy, and look forward to, getting your recipes. Sharing your busy schedule with all of your boys’ activities brings back fond memories for me with both of my boys – baseball and fishing in the summer and hockey in the winter. I must say that I would not have that kind of energy today. Like everyone else I would absolutely love to win these pots and pans. Have a great week and I look forward to getting more delicious recipes next week.

    1. Thanks, Diane! I’m glad that our crazy schedule brings back fond memories! 🙂 There are many days when I think that I don’t have the energy to keep up with them now. Hah! It’s definitely fun, though. I’m looking forward to many more busy years as they grow!

  88. 5 stars
    Looks yummy — can’t wait to try it. Love the photos of your outing; lucky you living so close to a National Park!
    But I can still make and pack this up for lunch at work.
    And I love the container that you mixed the salad dressing in; can you please tell me where you found it?
    And, lastly, thanks for the giveaway! 🙂

    1. Hi, Kris! I love that bottle, too! I got it on Amazon. 🙂 It’s made by OXO Good Grips and it’s called a “salad dressing shaker.” Hope that helps!

  89. I stumbled upon your website the other day as I was searching for healthy, easy recipes for my young family. Absolutely hooked now and love receiving the regular emails too! Your dump and bake chicken fajita quinoa casserole was a huge hit and my picky 5 year old even loved. I was absolutely amazed! And it was so easy to make….sooo easy! Thank you for these options that take the pressure off us moms and give us the ability to still serve healthy meals to our families and spend our time with them rather than always in the kitchen. What a blessing! Thank you for this!

  90. Oh Farberware!! I bought a set when I bought my house…..1978!! I’m still using them, 40 years later. And they still shine, fry and braise like new!

    My Uncle was a sheet metal worker and I had asked him what kind of oookware to get. He very emphatically said “Farberware, get the best!”

    I’ll be trying this great looking recipe….and making it in my old Farberware. M-m-m-m

  91. 5 stars
    What great timing! I am hosting a group of gals from my church as we meet to brainstorm ideas for the packing of our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. I had decided to serve a few different kinds of salads including a green salad, a fruit salad and one more which was yet to be determined. This Chicken Tortellini salad will round out the menu beautifully!
    (And for anyone who is not familiar with Operation Christmas Child Shoebox program, check out the great information on the Samaritan’s Purse website.) Once you pack a shoebox for a child who has never received a gift or has NOTHING to call his own, I guarantee, you will be hooked!

    1. That’s wonderful, Linda! We participate in the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox program each year through the church, and it’s really a great service! 🙂

  92. Not only are your recipes easy to follow and delicious, the photographs
    are some of the nicest I have seen. They are colorful and appetizing every time.

  93. 5 stars
    My grandson is making the tortellini salad for dinner on his nite to cook. He loves the simple salad idea.tThanks for giving us a new recipie.to enjoy together..

  94. I also live in Virginia. It’s a beautiful state. I am crazy about pasta salad. I can’t wait to try your recipe! It’s on the menu for this week. Love the Faberware pots and pans too! High quality and the stackable feature is ingenious!

  95. I am loving the dump and bake meals! They’re really helping me get meals together at a time when I am struggling to do just that.

  96. 5 stars
    Was looking for another way to cook pasta with chicken — this is a really good one. I substituted angel hair for the tortellini (grandchild likes that best). Followed the rest of the recipe faithfully. FANTASTIC. Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. That’s great, Paula! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, and I’m glad to know that the angel hair pasta works well too!

  97. I too have been using a set of Faberware for many years. It does hold up and I do like the way these pans stack so neatly together. Thanks for the giveaway.

  98. Thanks for the giveaway! I love reading your week in meals! With 3 kids playing ball (in 2 different leagues!) as well, I love seeing the quick dinners. When the season first started, I couldn’t keep up with practices, games, & supper! I have much respect for you cause you seem so put together!!! Thanks again!!!

    1. Hi, Kristi! I can assure you — I am NOT so put together! I often feel like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I try to prioritize getting a meal in the kids’ bodies each night, but sometimes that looks like fish sticks, a sandwich, frozen pizza, or a bowl of cereal when I don’t have the time or energy for anything else. I think the key is to just give yourself some grace. I do my best, but I also don’t set expectations that overwhelm me or make me feel guilty when I can’t fulfill them. My kids are healthy and happy — even when they eat cereal for dinner on occasion — and that’s all that really matters.

      I’m glad that you find the meal ideas helpful (that’s definitely my goal), but I also hope that you cut yourself some slack and just do the best that you can! 🙂 Thanks for reading the blog!

  99. 5 stars
    Hi,
    Thanks for the yummy sounding/looking recipe. I look forward to trying it tomorrow. I am so impressed & in awe of your organizational skills in such a busy, full life. How do you do it all????? You provide an awesome service to all of us.
    Thanks,
    Brenda

  100. 5 stars
    Tortellini salads are always the favorite at home and potlucks. Thank you for a new delicious recipe. Also the chance to win new
    Farberware is much appreciated!

  101. 5 stars
    What a great summer meal! It would also be a good choice for a potluck dish. I can’t wait to try it!

  102. Going to be making this on Saturday for a cookout my family is going to. Can’t wait to try it!

  103. This salad looks yummy, Blair! We have a busy weekend planned with the Farmers Market and some gardening with the grandbaby, and I’m planning to try it out then! Have a great week!

  104. 5 stars
    Easy, light, and delicious!!! My husband wanted me to make it again the next night. I added a little Italian seasoning to the vinaigrette and liked the addition. I also used more feta because we love feta. Also prefer green olives. I’ve shared this recipe with friends and family. I might try rotisserie chicken next time as a shortcut. Thanks!!!

    1. Sounds perfect! Thank you so much, Mary Beth! 🙂 And yes — love the rotisserie chicken shortcut!

  105. 5 stars
    I saw this recipe in the Costco magazine and it looked amazing. I made it for dinner last night and it is so good!!!! So I came and checked out your blog! Looking forward to trying more recipes! Thank you!!