Swap out veggies listed below for fresh spinach, olives, and roasted red pepper to this Chicken Orzo Salad a Mediterranean spin. You can also use a rotisserie chicken to save time.
Chicken Orzo Salad
Make 10 cups
Ingredients
- 16 ounces orzo
- 1 pound shredded cooked
- chicken (6 cups)
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 cups sliced toasted almonds, divided
- 2 cups crumbled feta cheese, divided
- 1½ cups chopped assorted bell peppers
- 1 cup chopped celery
- Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium stockpot, cook orzo according to package directions until firm and tender. (Be sure not to overcook orzo or it will be mushy and the orzo will stick together.) Drain, and rinse with cold water; let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine orzo, chicken, tomatoes, 1 cup sliced almonds, 1 cup feta, bell pepper, and celery. Add Dijon Vinaigrette, salt, and black pepper, tossing until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold, and top with remaining 1 cup almonds and remaining 1 cup feta.
Dijon Vinaigrette
Makes 1⅔ cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In the container of a blender, pulse vinegar, sugar, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until combined. With blender running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until smooth and combined.
