Zest both lemons into a small bowl, then squeeze them to get 1/4 cup of juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and 2 minced garlic cloves to create your dressing. Divide the dressing in half—place the chicken thighs in a resealable bag with one half of the dressing plus the remaining minced garlic clove, and let it marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else. This gives the chicken time to absorb the flavors and ensures it cooks evenly. I like to marinate the chicken while I'm prepping the other ingredients, so nothing sits idle.

While the chicken marinates, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside. While the pasta cooks, dice the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces, dice the bell pepper, halve the kalamata olives, halve the grape tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and roughly chop the parsley. Having all your vegetables prepped and ready will make assembly quick and easy once the chicken is cooked.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the marinated chicken thighs with their marinade. Sear for 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (the chicken should reach 165°F internally). Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes—this allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat tender and moist. After resting, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta from Step 2, the prepared vegetables, the chopped chicken from Step 3, and the feta cheese crumbles. Pour the reserved half of the dressing over the mixture and toss everything together until well coated. I find that crumbled feta works better than chunks here because it distributes more evenly throughout the salad. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve immediately or chill until ready to eat.