This Chicken Orzo Salad is incredibly Tasty, Healthy, and loaded with Flavor and Protein.
It will take only 30 minutes of your time to make this Delicious Recipe. This Salad can be served as a complete meal on its own or a side dish that can be served warm or chilled depending on your preference.
I love how Flexible Orzo Salad Recipe is and how you can make it in so many different ways based on the vegetables you have stored in your fridge!
Along with Orzo and Chicken Breast in this recipe, I used Cherry Tomatoes, Bell Peppers and Feta Cheese for texture along with Minced Red onions, and Fresh Basil leaves for more flavor.
This Recipe has the Simplest Dressing that’s made of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar and Lemon Juice, mixed with some spices that goes perfectly with this recipe and adds tons of flavor!
You can Simply make a Vegan Version of this Salad by substituting Chicken Breast and Feta Cheese with Olives and Chickpeas to add Flavor and Plant-based protein.
This Easy and Simple Chicken Orzo salad is also a great meal for busy weekdays that you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you love Meal-prepping for the week as much as I do, consider this Easy, Healthy and Tasty Recipe as one of your weekly Meal-Prep Options!
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a type of Pasta that’s similar to Rice in shape, size, and texture. Whole-wheat Orzo contains more fiber and protein than regular orzo, which makes it a Healthier choice.
In Italian, Orzo often goes by the name of “Risi” or “Rosini”, but not orzo because this word means “Barley” in Italian.
Orzo is typically used in soups in Italian cuisine, but you can use it in any number of pasta dishes, soups, grain bowls and Salads.
If you plan to add orzo to salads, just like this recipe, drizzle the pasta with olive oil and fluff the pasta to avoid clumping before adding other ingredients to it and refrigerating.
Ingredients for Chicken Orzo Salad:
- Orzo
- Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Bell Peppers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Fresh Basil leaves
- Red onions
- Feta Cheese
- Unsalted Butter
- Sea Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Turmeric
- Dried Oregano
- Garlic Powder
Ingredients For Salad Dressing:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Ground Black Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Oregano (Optional)
How to Make Chicken Orzo Salad:
Step 1:
Cut thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken Breasts into ½ inch pieces and season with Sea Salt, Minced Garlic or Garlic Powder, Ground Black Pepper, and Dried Oregano.
In a large Nonstick Skillet , add 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter or Olive oil and over medium heat fry the chicken until they are cooked.
Step 2:
While Chicken is cooking, Bring a Large Pot of Slated Water to a Boil. Cook the Orzo according to the package instructions and cook until dente for about 8 minutes.
Step 3:
Drain and transfer the cooked Orzo into a large serving bowl, drizzle the pasta with olive oil and fluff the pasta to avoid clumping before adding other ingredients and let cool in room temperature.
Step 4:
When cool, add the diced cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, minced red onions and feta cheese and stir all the ingredients together.
Step 5:
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, dried oregano (optional), salt, and pepper.
Step 6:
Pour the dressing along side the chopped basil leaves over the orzo salad mixture, toss to coat.
Serve this Delicious Chicken Orzo Salad immediately or cover it with a plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before serving.
Some other great additions or substitutions to this orzo salad are…
- Cucumbers
- Olives
- Pine Nuts
- Fresh Parsley
- Corn
- Chickpeas
- Green Peppers
Other Salad Recipes You’ll Love…
Healthy and Creamy Broccoli Salad
Pomegranate and Pear Kale Salad
If you’re Looking for Easy and Healthy Recipes definitely Shop Blue Apron, it will save you plenty of Time!
If you try this recipe, I Would love to see your comment and rating below 🙂
Don’t forget to Tag Kiki Foodland on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest .
Chicken Orzo Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chicken Orzo Salad:
- 8 oz dried orzo pasta cooked in salted water according topackage directions.
- 1.5 pounds thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup Bell Peppers Diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil leaves Chopped
- 1/4 cup Red onions Minced
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese Crumbled
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Ingredients For Salad Dressing:
- 6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Juice of Lemon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
Instructions for Chicken Orzo Salad:
- Cut thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken Breasts into ½ inch pieces and season with Sea Salt, Minced Garlic or Garlic Powder, Ground Black Pepper, and Dried Oregano. In a large non-stick pan, add 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter or Olive oil and over medium heat fry the chicken until they are cooked.
- While Chicken is cooking, Bring a Large Pot of Slated Water to a Boil. Cook the Orzo according to the package instructions and cook until dente for about 8 minutes.
- Drain and transfer the cooked Orzo intoa large serving bowl, drizzle the pasta with olive oil and fluff the pasta to avoid clumping before adding other ingredients and let cool in room temperature.
- When cool, add the diced cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, minced red onions and feta cheese and stir all the ingredients together.
- In a small bowl, whisk together thedressing ingredients: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, driedoregano (optional), salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing along side the chopped basil leaves over the orzosalad mixture, toss to coat.
