Chicken and Tortellini Salad

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

For the Salad:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 (9-ounce) package fresh three cheese tortellini pasta
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup diced seedless cucumber
1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves , chopped

Directions

For the Vinaigrette: 

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a large jar or measuring cup. Shake (or whisk) until completely combined. Set aside.

For the Chicken: 

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper on all sides, to taste. Heat olive oil in a large Farberware Neat Nest skillet over medium heat. Place 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 cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, or when juices run clear.
2. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest.

For the Tortellini: 

1. Cook the tortellini in a large Farberware Neat Nest saucepot according to package instructions. Drain.
2. While the tortellini cooks, dice the chicken into bite-size pieces.

For the Salad: 

1. In a large bowl, gently combine diced chicken, cooked tortellini, spinach, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta cheese. Pour about ¼ cup vinaigrette over the salad.
2. Cover and refrigerate salad until ready to serve. You can prepare this dish up to 1 day in advance. Stir in the chopped fresh basil just before serving.