Orzo Salad with Chicken and Roasted Vegetables
When you fire up the grill, you might as well take advantage of it and cook everything on it! That’s the idea behind this orzo salad, which is packed with grilled zucchini, peppers, red onions, chicken, and fresh herbs.
A lemon vinaigrette with Dijon mustard, fennel, and spices coats everything, adding a wonderful flavor. This hearty salad is delicious served warm or cold and is perfect for lunch or dinner.
- Servings: 4 to 6
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 20 minutes
Good to know
- Creating different heat zones on the grill is important. I use two burners on high to get nice grill marks on the vegetables, and I use one burner on medium-high to gently cook the chicken without burning it.
- I recommend cutting the vegetables into large pieces before grilling. This makes them much easier to handle on the grill and less likely to fall through the grates. Cut them into bite-sized pieces once they’re cooked.
Frequently asked questions
Skewers of eggplant, asparagus, corn, and cherry tomatoes would be delicious. This is a great recipe for using up whatever vegetables you have on hand!
Yes, you can grill the vegetables in a ridged skillet or roast them in the oven. Then, pan-fry the chicken. You’ll lose some of the smoky barbecue flavor, but the salad will still taste great.
Another type of small pasta also works very well. For a slightly different version, you could also use pearl couscous.
Both! I especially like it when the chicken and vegetables are still slightly warm, but it’s also good the next day when it’s cold.
Absolutely! Since this recipe combines chicken, vegetables, and orzo in one dish, it’s really convenient for summer entertaining. Place the large bowl in the center of the table and let everyone help themselves.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white balsamic vinegar
- Zest of 1 well-washed lemon
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- Pepper, to taste
Orzo Salad
- 400 g cooked and cooled orzo
- 2 bell peppers, cut in half
- 1 large red onion, cut into thick slices
- 2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 to 3 chicken breasts
- Olive oil drizzle
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup (20 g) coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup (20 g) coarsely chopped fresh mint
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Preparation
Dressing
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
Orzo Salad
- Preheat the grill by turning two burners to high heat for the vegetables and one burner to medium-high heat for the chicken. Clean and lightly oil the grates.
- Drizzle olive oil over the bell peppers, red onion, zucchini, and chicken breasts. Season everything generously with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts on the section of the grill set to medium-high heat. Cook for six to eight minutes on each side, or until the chicken is nicely grilled and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, place the vegetables on both burners over high heat. Grill the peppers and zucchini for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, and grill the onion slices for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Grill until the vegetables are tender and have nice grill marks. Remove them from the grill and let them cool for a few minutes before cutting them into pieces.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled orzo, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, parsley, and mint. Add the dressing and toss well to coat everything.
