Mediterranean Warm Chicken-Orzo Salad
A vibrant, warm salad featuring tender chicken, zesty lemon, sweet cherry tomatoes, and crunchy celery tossed with whole wheat orzo and a fragrant oregano olive oil dressing.
Ingredients
lemon, zested and juiced
cherry tomatoes, halved
orange bell pepper, diced
garlic, minced
extra virgin olive oil
dried oregano
salt
black pepper
skinless boneless chicken breasts
whole wheat orzo pasta
celery, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to package instructions until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While the orzo cooks, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, half the lemon zest, and half the dried oregano.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook about 6 minutes per side until cooked through and golden. Remove from skillet and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips.
- In the same skillet, add remaining tablespoon olive oil. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the diced orange pepper and celery slices to the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes until they just start to soften.
- Return the sliced chicken to the skillet, add the cooked orzo, lemon juice, remaining lemon zest, remaining oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything gently to combine and warm through for 1–2 minutes.
- Serve the salad warm, garnished with an extra drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkle of fresh herbs if desired.
