Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Course
Main Course, Salad
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Cuisine
American
Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
Description
The recipe starts by cooking orzo pasta until al dente, then cooling it. Chicken breasts are seasoned lightly and grilled to a safe, juicy finish, then rested and sliced. Zucchini sticks are grilled alongside the chicken until tender-crisp, then chopped. Corn (thawed if frozen) and halved cherry tomatoes are combined with the orzo along with arugula and optional chopped basil to build the salad base.
The honey lime dressing is whisked together from olive oil, fresh lime juice, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. The salad ingredients are lightly tossed in the dressing, then topped with sliced grilled chicken and crumbled feta cheese. The resulting dish features smoky and fresh vegetable notes, the nuttiness of orzo, and bright, zesty dressing.
Additional tips suggest alternatives to grilling such as cooking zucchini and chicken in a skillet or broiling. Thawed frozen corn can be pan-toasted for extra flavor. Marinating the chicken before cooking can enhance the overall flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups orzo pasta about 227 g, dried
- 4 to 5 to 5 chicken breast about 2 pounds (see note, boneless skinless
- 1 cup corn thawed, frozen
- 1 to 2 to 2 zucchini about 340 g) cut into long sticks (about 4 pieces per zucchini, medium
- 1 to 2 to 2 cups cherry tomato halved
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice from about 3 large limes, fresh
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper I use coarsely ground
- 2 cups arugula about 113 g, baby
- ¼ to ½ to ½ cup basil optional but delicious, chopped, fresh
- ½ to 1 to 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Cook orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Preheat grill to medium- or medium-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides lightly with salt and pepper (see note below about marinading chicken). Grill the chicken until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the chicken. Let rest 4-5 minutes before cutting into bite-size pieces or thin slices.
- If your grill is big enough, add the zucchini while the chicken is cooking. Grill the zucchini until crisp-tender about 8-10 minutes, turning once or twice. Coarsely chop the zucchini into bite-size pieces. (See note below about cooking the zucchini in a skillet)
- For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.
- In a large serving bowl, add the orzo, arugula, basil, corn, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Lightly toss. Add the grilled chicken on top and sprinkle the feta cheese over the salad.
- Serve immediately with the dressing alongside OR drizzle the dressing over the top of the entire salad and toss.
Notes
- Zucchini can be cooked in a skillet if a grill isn't available, providing similar texture and flavor.
- The chicken may be broiled or cooked on the stovetop instead of grilled.
- Using fresh corn grilled alongside vegetables is an alternative to thawed frozen corn.
- Thawed corn can be toasted in a skillet with butter and olive oil to bring out more flavor.
- Marinating the chicken with lemon and garlic before cooking enhances taste and pairs well with the salad.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Serving | |
| Calories | 392kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 59mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 345mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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