Summer Orzo Salad
A fresh and vibrant summer orzo salad loaded with chopped chicken and crumbled feta cheese for extra protein and flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 lb orzo pasta -- 16 ounces (2 cups)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes -- chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cucumbers -- diced
- 1/2 medium red onion -- diced
- 1 red bell pepper -- diced
- 1 orange bell pepper -- diced
- 2 cups cooked chicken -- cubed or shredded
- 1 cup feta cheese -- crumbled
- 1/4 cup basil or parsley -- chopped
Salad Dressing
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Add 4 quarts water to boil over high heat. Salt the water and add orzo and cook 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain well, then pour orzo into a bowl and toss with a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil to keep it from sticking; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, any herbs (like basil or parsley), chopped chicken and feta cheese.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
- Add orzo pasta to the vegetables/chicken bowl and toss to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss well to evenly coat with dressing.
- Refrigerate and when ready to serve, stir well and the pasta will absorb a lot of the dressing, so you can add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if needed. Add extra feta cheese or chopped herbs on top to garnish!
Calories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 17gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 280mgPotassium: 338mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 920IUVitamin C: 44mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this? Let us know how it was! :)