This Tortellini Pasta Salad is a delicious combination of tender and cheesy tortellini pasta tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, crispy bacon, savory chicken and sweet mandarin oranges drizzled with a sweet and tangy dressing for a light but amazingly satisfying meal.
In a large pot, cook tortellini according to package directions making sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add chicken and cook on both sides for approximately 4-5 minutes or until center is no longer pink. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and then cut into bite size cubes. Set aside.
Cook bacon in the skillet you used to cook the chicken until brown and crispy. Set aside to cool and then chop into small pieces.
Drain mandarin oranges. Roughly chop spinach, cut cherry tomatoes in half, and quarter the cucumber.
To Assemble: In a large serving bowl, add tortellini, chicken, bacon, mandarin oranges, spinach, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Gently stir to combine.
For the Dressing:
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and vinegar to a boil. Turn heat to medium and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add oil, salt, paprika, and oregano. Whisk until blended.
Pour the dressing over the tortellini and gently stir until everything is coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!