Greek Chicken Orzo Salad
Greek-style chicken orzo salad is a light, cold summer dinner and an easy pasta salad recipe for a cookout or potluck. It comes together in minutes with leftover shredded chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, Greek olives, and a bright homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing.
This recipe is sure to become a summer pasta salad staple, along with my tortellini pasta salad and Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad made with Israeli couscous.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a delicious way to dress up rotisserie or leftover chicken and turn it into a special light meal.
- It’s packed with bright summery flavors from a lemon, garlic, and herb vinaigrette.
- Leftover chicken orzo salad still tastes great the next day.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are some key ingredients needed to make Greek chicken orzo salad. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Chicken. Keep things easy and your kitchen cool by using a rotisserie chicken. If you have leftover grilled chicken, you can also use that.
Orzo. Although it resembles large grains of rice, orzo is pasta, not rice. Whole wheat orzo is the healthiest choice because it’s high in fiber. If you can’t find whole wheat orzo, regular orzo is fine to use.
Vegetables. I use an English (seedless) cucumber, grape tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, and Greek olives.
Feta cheese. This adds a nice salty flavor.
Lemon. The dressing has lemon zest and juice. Both add a nice, bright flavor to the vinaigrette, which soaks into and flavors the orzo.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetable substitutions or additions include: chopped zucchini, fresh sweet peppers, marinated sundried tomatoes, roasted grape tomatoes, and roasted artichoke hearts.
- For a dairy-free option, omit the feta cheese.
- If you’re short on time, use a good-quality bottled Italian vinaigrette dressing instead of making the homemade lemon vinaigrette.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Make the dressing and cook the orzo. Combine the vinaigrette dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk well and set the dressing aside. Then, cook the orzo according to the package instructions (usually about 8 minutes) for an al dente texture. When it’s cooked, drain the orzo, rinse with cold water, and place it in a large bowl.
2. Season the orzo and chicken. Add the shredded chicken to the bowl of orzo. Pour the dressing over. Mix it well and put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the vegetables.
3. Prepare the vegetables. Cut everything into small, bite-sized pieces (about ½ inch). Cut the olives in half or quarters. Place the vegetables in the bowl with the seasoned orzo and chicken.
4. Toss and add feta and basil. Add these last two ingredients just before serving to keep them fresh.
Expert Tips
Keep a close eye on the orzo and don’t overcook it. It will soften further as it absorbs the vinaigrette, so it’s best to cook it just to al dente.
Taste the finished salad before adding salt because the feta cheese, olives, and rotisserie chicken (if using) are already salty.
You can prepare this chicken orzo salad up to two hours in advance, and the cucumbers and tomatoes will remain crisp. Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve. To make it the day before, cook and season the orzo with the dressing, and prep your vegetables. Combine all the ingredients an hour or two before serving.
If the orzo pasta salad seems dry after it’s refrigerated, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a tablespoon of red wine vinegar to moisten it.
What to Serve With Greek Chicken Orzo Salad
- Chicken tzatziki
- A cold green bean salad
- A sweet corn and tomato panzanella salad
- Baked stuffed tomatoes
- Raspberry oatmeal bars for dessert
Related Cold Pasta Recipes
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Greek Chicken Orzo Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 1/4 cups dry orzo
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 large English cucumber
- 8 ounces roasted red peppers from a jar, drained well.
- 1/4 cup pitted Greek olives pitted
- 4 scallions
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves sliced thin
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl or jar. Whisk well. Season with a pinch of salt and ground pepper, or to taste. Set the dressing aside.
- Cook the orzo according to the package directions, typically 8-10 minutes for an al dente texture. Drain and rinse well with cold water to chill the orzo. Place the drained orzo in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the shredded chicken to the bowl with the orzo. Pour the dressing over, stir well, and refrigerate while you prepare the vegetables. NOTE: If the orzo is still warm, chill it for about 30 minutes or until cool.
- Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size. Cut the cucumber and red peppers into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 to 1-inch), cut the olives in half, and mince the scallions. Add all of the vegetables to the bowl with the orzo and chicken and toss well.At this point, you can refrigerate the orzo salad for up to two hours or continue with the next step if serving immediately.
- Slice the basil leaves thinly and sprinkle it and crumbled feta cheese over the salad just before serving.
- Refrigerate leftovers tightly covered for two days.
Notes
Nutrition
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P.S. Good luck with your move!!!
I can’t get enough Greek food in my house, and fortunately my kids and hubby like it too. Your salad is definitely calling my name!! I think it would be perfect w/ cooked whole grain sorghum for a gluten-free version. Yum!!!
Yes, it works well with any grains, and even meatless! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment EA 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting Donna and I hope you enjoy it 🙂
This looks so delicious and exactly the way I like to eat! I’m headed to the grocery store today and will pick up everything I need to make this dish. Thank you!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Thanks so much Susan! I hope you enjoy it 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
This sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing. xo Laura
Thanks so much for stopping by Laura 🙂
I love love orzo so why do I rarely cook it? This looks delish 🙂 Exciting news about your move!
I know! I don’t cook it often either and whenever I do, I remember I love it! We’re excited to be moving to AZ and never have winter again 🙂
So pretty!
Thanks Jessica! I think pretty salads always taste better!
This looks terrific and it appears to be low-fat and very healthy! Perfect for a back-yard summer dinner. Or lunch…..:) Thanks
P.S. Keep slugging away, you will get it all together and moved. 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement! I’m trying to do a box or two each day!