This chicken orzo salad is my husband’s most requested dinner recipe. It doesn’t matter what season it is – I make this chicken orzo salad probably forty times a year. I got this recipe from my mother who probably got it from a Williams Sonoma cookbook (I think).
It features slow cooked, shredded chicken breasts, cubed mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, a dash of vinegar and herby pesto sauce. It tastes great both hot and cold, so you can eat it as a main dish or pack it for lunch. I’d say on the difficulty level, it’s very easy.
Equipment needed for Chicken Orzo Salad with pesto
You don’t need much:
- A slow cooker – this is optional, but this is my favorite, low stress method to make shreddable chicken. I pop the chicken in with some salt, pepper, olive oil and 1/4 cup of water. Cook on high for four hours and voila! Juicy, shreddable chicken.
- A large pot – to boil our orzo and then assemble the final product.
- A food processor – the easiest tool for making fresh pesto. I have a Cuisinart one.
- A cutting board
- A sharp knife – to chop tomatoes
- A pasta strainer – any will do to strain your orzo!
Do I really need fresh pesto?
This chicken orzo salad is best with fresh pesto. Ina Garten did not say store bought was fine. I think it makes a huge difference in the flavor of this salad, so just keep that in mind. Fresh pesto is one of those things that I will argue is worth the time (but it only takes a couple minutes).
My go-to pesto recipe is a blend of both basil and parsley, fresh lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, garlic, lots of olive oil and salt and pepper. For exact measurements, check out my pesto recipe here: Easy Pesto Sauce. Just blend it all up in a food processor and season to taste.
Other ingredients for Chicken Orzo Salad with pesto
Add all of this to your grocery list!
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 pound of orzo pasta
- ½ lb of cherry tomatoes – I like to get multicolored ones!
- fresh spinach
- fresh mozzarella – get the big ball!
- white vinegar – I include a splash of this to give the salad a tangy bite. I used the Heinz brand. White wine vinegar works well too.
- red pepper flakes
- lemon
- garlic
- fresh basil and parsley – for our pesto
- olive oil – extra virgin!
- pine nuts – often labeled as Pignolias at Trader Joe’s!
- Parmesan – a whole chunk or pre-grated works.
- red pepper flakes
How to make Chicken Orzo Salad with pessto
Let’s make it together!
Step 1
MAKE AHEAD. Prepare the chicken. Rub on a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each piece. Add them to a slow cooker and add a dash of water to the pot (1/4 cup of water at most). Place on the lid and cook on high for four hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Then shred the chicken with two forks.
Step 2
Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the orzo and let boil for around 7-8 minutes or until your desired softness. Reserve around ¼ cup of pasta water before straining (just put it in a cup). Once you strain the pasta, throw it back into the pot.
Step 3
Make the pesto! Add the garlic, basil, parsley, Parmesan, pine nuts and lemon juice to the food processor. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add the oil and pulse the pesto until smooth.
Step 4
Add the spinach, tomatoes, pesto, white vinegar, and mozzarella to the pot with the orzo. Add as much chicken as you prefer (sometimes I leave some of it out) Stir. If it seems like it needs more moisture, add the pasta water or another dash of oil.
Is this a hot dinner or a cold lunch?
I would say BOTH. I’ve eaten this hot right when it’s ready, and I’ve also eaten it chilled the next day. It tastes great, so it just comes down to personal preference.
Storage and reheating instructions
Luckily, this is a very store-able meal and holds great in Tupperware. Put it in an airtight container and store for up to one week. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave for a minute or less.
Other recipes to try
If you liked this chicken orzo salad with pesto and mozzarella, check out these other recipes:
- Chicken Bruschetta Orzo
- Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Thyme Vinaigrette
- Summer Pasta Salad with Pancetta, Broccoli and Tomatoes
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Chicken Orzo Salad with Pesto and Mozzarella
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker optional, to cook chicken
- 1 large pot to boil orzo and assemble
- 1 Food processor to blend fresh pesto
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 pasta strainer
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts cooked and shredded
- 1 cup Orzo pasta
- ½ lb cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 6 oz fresh spinach
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cubed
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- ⅔ cup fresh pesto recipe below
- salt and pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- MAKE AHEAD. Prepare the chicken. Rub on a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each piece. Add them to a slow cooker and add a dash of water to the pot (1/4 cup or less). Place on the lid and cook on high for four hours until cooked through. Then shred the chicken with two forks.2 large chicken breasts, salt and pepper
- Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the orzo and let boil for around 7-8 minutes or until your desired softness.1 cup Orzo pasta
- Reserve around ¼ cup of pasta water before straining. Once you strain the pasta, throw it back into the pot.
- Add the spinach, tomatoes, pesto, white vinegar, and mozzarella to the pot. Stir. If it seems like it needs more moisture, add the pasta water or another dash of oil. Add red pepper flakes to taste.½ lb cherry tomatoes, 6 oz fresh spinach, 8 oz fresh mozzarella, 2 tbsp white vinegar, ⅔ cup fresh pesto, 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- Serve hot or refrigerate for later. Tastes great cold too!
