Mince the shallot finely and add it to a large bowl with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Whisk everything together until the honey dissolves and the vinaigrette is well combined. Set aside so the flavors can meld while you prepare the other components. This dressing will be the flavor backbone of the entire salad, so I like to let it sit for at least a few minutes before using it.

Pat the chicken tenders dry with paper towels, then toss them in a bowl with the basil pesto and balsamic vinegar, coating evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. I find that letting the chicken rest keeps it juicy and prevents it from drying out when mixed with the warm pasta.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo pasta according to package directions until just tender. Drain well, then immediately transfer the hot pasta to a large mixing bowl. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 1 over the hot pasta and toss thoroughly so the pasta absorbs the dressing while warm. This allows the pasta to soak up the flavors rather than sitting in a cold salad later.

While the pasta cooks, prepare all your vegetables: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumbers into bite-sized pieces, pit and halve the Kalamata olives, dice the bell peppers, and chop the pepperoncini. Having everything prepped and ready makes the final assembly quick and ensures even distribution of ingredients throughout the salad.

Add the cooked chicken from Step 2, crumbled feta cheese, and all the prepared vegetables from Step 4 to the dressed pasta bowl. Gently toss everything together until well combined and evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed. The salad can be served warm immediately or chilled and served cold—both ways are delicious, though I prefer it at room temperature where all the Mediterranean flavors really shine through.