Orzo Salad

Pasta, Salad, Side Dishes, Side Dishes/VeggiesFebruary 4, 2013Comments: 2

Isn’t it beautiful?

DSC_0022

I love all kinds of salads and this orzo salad was inspired by “I can’t eat another turkey sandwich for lunch.” They just weren’t doing it for me anymore – same thing different day, ya know what I mean?

DSC_0016

A pasta salad is really the perfect lunch – you got your carbs, protein, veggies, and fruit all in one bite! The best part of it all is you can put whatever you want in a pasta salad. There really is no rhyme or reason why I decided to put chicken, cranberries, red peppers, grape tomatoes, arugula, fresh oregano, fresh basil, goat cheese, a few splashes of red wine vinegar, a drizzle or two of olive oil, and A LOT of cracked black pepper. There is no salt in this here salad.

DSC_0009

The best advice I can give for making any type of salad is to use FRESH herbs – they make such a difference in taste. The oregano and basil with the arugula was a really great combo – can we say Italian?

I brought a bowl of this to lunch with some Trader Joe’s nut mix and it really hit the spot – filled me right up without weighing me down the rest of the afternoon.

DSC_0024

Print
Orzo Salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 3-4
 

Ingredients
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 1½ cups shredded chicken
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 12 grape tomato
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
  • 21/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Cracked pepper

Instructions
  1. Cook the orzo according to directions on box. Drain and let cool.
  2. While orzo is boiling shred chicken (I kept it simple and bought a rotisserie chicken at the store). Feel free to bake or saute chicken breasts then shred.
  3. Next, chop up the red pepper, cut tomatoes in half, chop basil and oregano, measure out arugula, cranberries, goat cheese, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.
  4. Once the orzo and chicken are cooled, mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and finished with cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

Notes
This recipe is very flexible – add more of less of your favorite ingredients to your liking. If the salad seems dry, add a tablespoon of oil olive and a few more dashes of red wine vinegar until you get the consistency and taste that you want.

source: www.stuckonsweet.com

 

Tagged: , , , , ,

« « Chocolate Cake Pops| Pesto Chicken with Tomatos, Spinach and Balsamic Glaze » »

Comments: 2

  1. juliajolliff February 4, 2013 at 8:20 pm Reply

    I would totally eat this for lunch! This is right up my alley. Your pictures are beautiful too!

    • Jessica Erin February 4, 2013 at 8:27 pm Reply

      Thanks Julia! That natural light really does make a difference. Spring and Summer can’t come soon enough!