Greek Chicken Orzo Salad
This Greek Chicken Orzo Salad is just what your warm-weather menu needs. It’s fresh, colorful, easy to prep, and filled with bold Mediterranean flavors.
Servings 4
Calories 420kcal
Cost $12
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast grilled or roasted
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package instructions (usually 7–9 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Let it cool completely.
- Prepare the chicken: If not using pre-cooked chicken, grill or sauté chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, and oregano. Once cooked through, let rest for 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked orzo, chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and parsley. Drizzle the dressing over and toss to coat.
- Add feta: Gently fold in crumbled feta cheese.
- Chill & serve: For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley and feta if desired.
Notes
- Use leftover chicken: Rotisserie or grilled leftovers work great and save time.
- Don’t overcook orzo: Keep it al dente to avoid a mushy salad.
- Chill before serving: A little fridge time lets the flavors really soak in.
- Add fresh herbs: Dill or mint can boost the freshness even more.