Lemon Chicken Orzo Salad packed with fresh colorful vegetables, chickpeas and feta cheese, tossed in a lemony vinaigrette. The ultimate dinner salad, side salad – or leftovers for a quick, hearty lunch.
Bright, colorful – the salad of the season – a great addition to your dinner rotation with leftovers for the perfect lunch. Serve room temperature or cold, it’s also ideal for the your next backyard gathering and the only salad you’ll want all summer long.
Tender orzo, cooked chicken, fresh vegetables, feta cheese, chickpeas and juicy chicken (air fried, grilled or rotisserie). Toss the whole thing in the lemony vinaigrette dressing that adds a punch of flavor and brings it all together.
Why this recipe works:
- This recipe is incredibly versatile and full of fresh flavors. Serve chilled or at room temp.
- Use grilled, air fried or rotisserie chicken.
- Use any of your favorite, fresh summer vegetables.
- Leave out the chicken and serve as a side salad.
- It’s the perfect salad when you’re tired of mayo-heavy salads.
- Easy make ahead recipe, grab -and-go lunch, or a great meal prep option.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Lemon Chicken Orzo Salad:
- uncooked orzo
- mini cucumbers
- large bell pepper (any color)
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- shallots
- fresh spinach stems
- can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- cooked chicken – about 1 pound (rotisserie, grilled or air fried)
- fresh basil leaves
- cubed feta cheese
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- fresh lemon juice from half of one lemon
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and black pepper to taste
How to make Lemon Chicken Orzo Salad:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt generously then add orzo and cook to al dente per package directions. Drain, rinse and cool.
Grill or air fry chicken – or remove chicken from rotisserie. Cut into bite size pieces.
Dice and prep salad ingredients. Add to a large bowl along with chicken and cooked orzo.
Add all dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid or small bowl. Shake vigorously or whisk until the ingredients are combined.
Pour the dressing over the salad. Stir gently to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Before serving, give it a good stir and add thinly sliced basil leaves over the top.
Subs and variations to this recipe:
- Add kalamata olives
- Crispy chickpeas
- Goat cheese instead of feta
- Add other fresh herbs like dill or Italian parsley.
- Leave the chicken out to serve vegetarian
- Add extra veggies
- Use red onion instead of shallots
- Squeeze on extra lemon juice before eating
How to store Lemon Chicken Orzo Salad:
This salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Enjoy chilled or at room temp.
It can be made a day ahead. Give it a good stir before serving.
More orzo recipes:
Full details in the printable recipe card below – or pin the recipe and keep it on repeat all summer long.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo uncooked
- 4 mini cucumbers diced
- 1 large bell pepper any color diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- 2 tablespoons shallots minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach stems removed and rough chopped
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained, rinsed and dried well
- 2 cups chicken (about 1 pound) rotisserie, air fried or grilled
- 4 ounces feta cheese cubed
- fresh basil leaves
Lemon Vinaigrette
- juice from half of one lemon
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook orzo in a pot of generously salted water to package directions for al dente. Drain, rinse and cool.
- Grill or air fry chicken – or remove chicken from rotisserie. Dice into bite size pieces. Dice and prep salad ingredients and add along with chicken and orzo to a large bowl.
- Add dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid or small bowl. Shake vigorously or whisk until well combined.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Before serving, stir well then add thinly sliced basil leaves over the top.