Chicken Orzo Pasta Salad
This main dish salad recipe is super quick and easy to prepare. Chop while the pasta cooks, mix the dressing while it cools. Dinner in 20 minutes! Great for picnics and potlucks, too.
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Calories: 528kcal
Ingredients
Salad:
- 8 ounces orzo uncooked
- 1 pound roast chicken I use purchased rotisserie, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 bunch green onions (around 5) white and some of the green part chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 medium jalapeño or serrano pepper seeded, deveined and minced
Peanut Dressing:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter not fresh ground or old fashioned
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cup dark sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Cook orzo in boiling salted water until al dente (8 to 10 minutes). Drain and transfer to large mixing bowl.
- Stir in 1/4 cup sesame oil and mix well. Stir in chopped chicken, green onions, cilantro and pepper. Set aside.
- For dressing, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil and sugar and whisk to combine. (If your peanut butter is very thick, you may need to mash it with a salad fork to get it to combine.)
- Pour dressing over chicken mixture and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
Note: Can easily be increased to serve up to 20 people.
Make ahead: Pasta salad can be made one day ahead, covered and refrigerated.
Nutrition
Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg