Lemony Orzo Chicken Salad
Lemony orzo salad with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, zucchini and crumbled goat cheese is an easy 15-minute dinner!
Yield: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb. orzo pasta (whole wheat preferably)
- 2 zucchini, diced small
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 3 cups diced leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to package directions.
- Chop the zucchini and place it in a large bowl. Once the orzo is ready, drain it and add it on top of the zucchini (which helps soften the raw zucchini just slightly). Add the zest and juice of the lemon on top of the hot orzo (the heat enhances the flavor and smell).
- Add the chicken, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Add the goat cheese and stir to combine, being careful not to break it up too much.
- You can add in some reserved cooking liquid if needed to help all the ingredients meld together.
- Serve and enjoy! Leftovers are great cold, too.
Notes
Orzo: You can use regular or whole wheat orzo; they cook in about the same time. You could also substitute another small pasta, but you may need to adjust the cook time.
Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked and chopped, so please plan accordingly. You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or some crock pot shredded chicken.
If you don’t have any leftover or rotisserie chicken, you can sprinkle 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper, paprika and a little garlic powder then bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice and dice and it’s ready to go.
Lemon: You need the zest AND the juice, so be sure to get that zest before you slice your lemon to juice it.
Tomatoes: I use cherry tomatoes because they are easily available all year long. You could also try substituting chopped roma tomatoes if you prefer.
Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Serve cold or reheat in the microwave and serve warm.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 538mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g
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