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This Spinach Orzo Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese is light, fresh and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner! It’s also a great side dish to bring to your next barbecue or picnic!
This recipe and photos have been updated since the original post on 6/13/2014
Orzo is hands down my favorite pasta. It’s small, has a nice texture and I never feel as stuffed when I eat it versus other pasta. It’s also great because it doesn’t overwhelm the dish let’s all of the other ingredients shine. This Spinach Orzo Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese is a favorite of both my husband and myself.
It works great as a main dish thanks to the chicken or you can also serve it as a side dish. I love bringing it as a side dish when we get together with family and friends. Generally if I’m serving it as a side dish I’ll omit the chicken. Don’t worry, none of the flavor is lost if you choose to do that.
Ingredients Needed to Make Spinach Orzo Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese
- Orzo
- Roasted red peppers
- Cooked chicken breasts
- Spinach
- Cherry tomatoes
- Basil
- Goat cheese
- Green onion
- Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar and olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- Honey or maple syrup
How to Make the Orzo Salad
- Cook the orzo and rinse it under cold water. I don’t recommend rinsing pasta unless you’re making a cold pasta salad. Add the orzo to a large serving bowl.
- To the orzo, add the roasted red peppers, green onion, chicken, spinach, cherry tomatoes and basil.
- In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, dijon, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper, then pour it over the salad. Toss together until everything is coated.
- Add in the goat cheese crumbles and gently stir them into the salad. I do this last to keep the cheese from losing it’s crumbly texture.
At this point you can serve the salad immediately or refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. I like to make this salad the day I plan to serve it, but if you want to make it a day ahead of time, wait until just before serving to add in the vinaigrette.
Orzo Chicken Salad Ingredient Substitutions
Orzo – Orzo may be replaced with Israeli couscous, macaroni, ditalini or any other small shaped pasta.
Roasted Red Peppers – A regular red bell pepper can be substituted for the roasted peppers, however you won’t have that smoky flavor that sweet smoky flavor if you choose to go this route.
Goat Cheese – If you don’t like goat cheese substitute with feta, fresh mozzarella balls or ricotta salata.
Chicken – Cooked chicken breasts can be substituted with rotisserie chicken, turkey breast or omit it for a vegetarian salad.
Spinach – Baby kale or arugula are good substitutions for the spinach. If you choose to do this be aware that both greens have a slightly bitter and peppery taste.
Orzo Salad Serving Suggestions
Below are main dish recommendations if you plan to serve this as a side dish rather than a main dish salad. I also recommend omitting the chicken if you’re planning to serve it as a side dish.
- Broccoli Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken
- BBQ Chicken
- Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Chipotle Maple Grilled Salmon
Spinach Orzo Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 cooked chicken breast diced
- 3 cups baby spinach chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper diced
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar white wine or red wine vinegar as an alternate
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the orzo according to the package directions omitting any oil it calls for. Rinse and drain the cooked orzo in cold water and put it in a large serving bowl. Add in the remaining salad ingredients and toss together.
- In a small bowl combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients, whisk together, then pour over the salad. Stir until everything is coated in the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning, then serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Shrimp Orzo Salad with Feta and Herbs
Greek Orzo Salad
Summer Vegetable Orzo Salad
Double the dressing! Not even close to enough but tasty.!
The recipe doesn’t specify AMOUNTS on the ingredient list, or elsewhere….????
Hi Angela, I just checked the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post and all of the ingredients and instructions are listed there.
I rarely picnic either, but the idea is just so idyllic :) Love this fresh summer salad!
I just love the idea of picnics, I really need to make them happen more often!
Loving the vibrant colors of this salad Danae!
Thanks Mike! I’m all about color in my salads!
This salad sounds so delicious, and I am in love with the combination of flavours. Goat cheese is my favourite for salads and the colours of the peppers look great!
Thanks Jessica! Goat cheese is one of my favorites too!
I need more picnics in my life too. Especially with this pasta salad.
Picnics and pasta salad are meant for each other!
Picnics are my favorite as well! Too bad that none of my friends is keen on the idea ah :(
Aaaanywaaaay – I saw this salad on insta and I knew it had to be in my mouth as soon as possible. Oh wow, it looks super fresh and yummy!! xx
Thanks Consuelo! Maybe you can entice your friends with the pasta salad!