A taste of Greece: Orzo & Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

feta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories while still providing creaminess.

chicken breast

🥗Healthier: grilled tofu

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Chicken thighs are often less expensive and remain juicy.

black olives

🥗Healthier: green olives

💰Cheaper: canned olives

Canned olives are a budget-friendly option with similar flavor.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is a more economical choice for cooking.

Boil a large pot of water and add salt.

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions for 12 minutes for perfectly cooked pasta.

Drain the orzo and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Chop cucumber into bite-sized pieces, aiming for a heaping cup or 1 and 1/4 cups.

Mince 1/3 cup of red onion.

Quarter cherry tomatoes, adjusting size based on their size.

Chop 1/4 cup of fresh parsley.

Break up 8 oz of feta cheese into larger pieces.

Cube 2 grilled chicken breasts, using pre-grilled chicken from Sam's Club or rotisserie chicken if preferred.

Add a drained jar of chickpeas to the salad mixture.

Add half of a 6.7 oz jar of pre-sliced colamada olives, approximately a heaping 1/4 cup.

Combine the cooled orzo with red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, and olives in a large bowl.

Add cubed chicken breast and mix well.

In stages, add chopped parsley and then feta cheese to avoid breaking it up too much.

Pour in half the bottle of Marzetti simply lemon vinaigrette and mix.

Taste the salad and adjust the dressing, adding more until the desired flavor is reached, using about 3/4 of the bottle.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens