Orzo Pasta Salad with Chicken Recipe
Grilled chicken, kalamata olives, cucumber, tomato, red onion, feta, greek vinaigrette
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Ingredients
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Salad & Protein
Greek Vinaigrette & Chicken Marinade
Seasoning & Finish
Method
Salad & Protein
Cook the orzo
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the specified salt. Add 2 cups dry orzo and cook according to package instructions (about 8-10 minutes) until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain the orzo and rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking; set aside to cool.
Prepare the chicken
Pat the 1 lb chicken breasts dry. Season lightly with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (from the vinaigrette amounts) and 1 tablespoon olive oil. If breasts are thick, butterfly or pound to an even thickness about 1/2 inch. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill chicken 4-6 minutes per side (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C) until cooked through with nice char marks. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized strips or cubes.
Prepare vegetables and cheese
While orzo cools and chicken rests, halve the tomatoes, dice the seeded cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, halve the pitted kalamata olives if not already halved, crumble the feta, and chop the parsley. Add all prepared vegetables, olives, feta, and parsley to the bowl with cooled orzo.
Assemble salad
Add the sliced grilled chicken to the orzo-vegetable mixture after dressing has been added (next section). Gently toss to combine, checking seasoning and adding reserved pasta cooking water by tablespoon if mixture seems dry to help coat ingredients.
Greek Vinaigrette & Chicken Marinade
Make the vinaigrette
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon honey (optional), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust acid/salt balance as desired. Reserve about 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette to dress the salad; use the rest as a light marinade for the chicken before grilling if desired.
Marinate chicken (optional)
If you prefer more flavor, place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over them. Marinate 15-30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours refrigerated. Remove chicken from marinade, discard excess, then grill as directed above. If you used this step, reduce added vinaigrette to taste when tossing salad.
Dress the salad
Pour approximately 1/3 cup vinaigrette over the cooled orzo, vegetables, and feta. Toss gently to coat all components. If the salad seems dry, add reserved pasta cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time or an additional tablespoon or two of vinaigrette until desired coating is reached.
Seasoning & Finish
Taste the assembled salad and adjust seasoning: add additional kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice, or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if using. Let the salad sit 10-15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld, or chill up to 2 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature. Leftovers keep 2-3 days refrigerated in an airtight container; stir gently before serving and add a splash of olive oil or reserved vinaigrette if dry.