Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add your 2 cups rotini pasta and cook for exactly 8-10 minutes until it's tender but still has a tiny bit of bite. Don't overcook or it'll turn mushy when it cools.

Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it quickly with cold water so it stops cooking. I personally give it a light toss with just a drizzle of olive oil so nothing sticks together while it cools down.

While the pasta cools, prep all your veggies — halve those cherry tomatoes, dice up the cucumber, slice the red bell pepper, and cut your mozzarella into cubes. Having everything ready means assembly takes literally two minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste the dressing and adjust — if it's too lemony, add a pinch more honey. If it needs brightness, squeeze in a few more drops of lemon.

Combine cooled pasta, chicken strips, turkey slices, mozzarella cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and black olives in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over everything and toss gently until every piece gets coated with that tangy flavor.

Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so flavors can get friendly with each other. Honestly, this 4th july pasta salad family version tastes even better when it sits overnight — the pasta soaks up more of that delicious dressing.