This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is great for a summer lunch or dinner. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Grill the chicken and chop into bite-sized pieces. Cook the orzo, drain and add to bowl with the salad dressing. Add the chicken and remaining ingredients and serve warm or cold. Cook’s note: I did not use pesto or pepperoncini. I garnished the salad with basil leaves. I used half the amount of orzo called for in the recipe.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Eden Organic red wine vinegar, President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon mustard, Acetaia La Bonissma balsamic vinegar, Tre Stelle feta and Martelli black olives. All are free of additives. Use pure honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I have not been able to find pepperoncini that do not contain sulphites. You can omit them or substitute additive-free pickled jalapeno peppers, such as La Costena brand.

Greek chicken orzo salad

Ingredients:

Dressing

2/3 cup (165 ml) extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard

1 shallot, chopped

½ cup (125 ml) chopped herbs, dill, basil, oregano, and/or thyme

Kosher salt and black pepper

Salad

1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken tenders (omit if vegetarian)

1/3 cup (82.5 ml) basil pesto

2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar

1 pound (454 g) dry orzo

2 cups (500 ml) cubed feta cheese

2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

2-3 Persian cucumbers chopped

1 cup (250 ml) pitted kalamata olives

2 roasted bell peppers, sliced

¼ cup (60 ml) chopped pepperoncini

Preparation:

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Toss the chicken with pesto and balsamic vinegar. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Give it a chop.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente. Drain. Add the hot orzo to the salad bowl full of dressing. Toss, toss! Add the chicken, feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, peppers, and pepperoncini. Toss, toss! Serve warm or cold. The salad will develop more flavour as it sits. Serves 6.

From Half Baked Harvest