Description
A vibrant Greek-inspired chicken and orzo pasta salad with grilled chicken, citrus vinaigrette, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, fresh parsley, and tangy feta cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for chicken)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (for chicken)
- ½ tsp dried oregano (for chicken)
- ½ tsp granulated garlic powder (for chicken)
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper (for chicken)
- Juice of 1 lemon (for chicken)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for breadcrumbs)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for breadcrumbs)
- 1 garlic clove, minced (for breadcrumbs)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt (for breadcrumbs)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (for vinaigrette)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (for vinaigrette)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (for vinaigrette)
- ½ tsp dried oregano (for vinaigrette)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (for vinaigrette)
- 1 garlic clove, grated (for vinaigrette)
- Juice of ½ lemon (for vinaigrette)
- Kosher salt for pasta water
- 1 lb orzo pasta
- 10 oz grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 1½ cups feta cheese, crumbled from a block
Instructions
- Marinate chicken in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper for 15 minutes.
- Grill chicken until fully cooked, then slice into strips.
- In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil, add minced garlic, then toast panko breadcrumbs with salt until golden; set aside.
- Cook orzo in salted boiling water until al dente, drain, and rinse with cold water.
- Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, oregano, pepper, and grated garlic to make vinaigrette.
- In a large bowl combine cooked orzo, grape tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and feta cheese.
- Add the sliced grilled chicken and toasted breadcrumbs to the bowl.
- Pour vinaigrette over the mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Adjust seasoning if needed and serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
For extra freshness, add a handful of Kalamata olives or a drizzle of honey. This salad can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup salad
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Greek, chicken, orzo, pasta salad, Mediterranean, grilled, vinaigrette, feta, fresh herbs