Grilled Chicken & Avocado Orzo Salad

Grilled Chicken & Avocado Orzo Salad Recipe.

This grilled chicken orzo salad is a delicious lunch or dinner. Orzo is dressed in cilantro lime vinaigrette and tossed with grilled chicken, avocado, scallions and fresh herbs. Leftovers are fabulous too!

This is going to become one of your new favorites. A great lunch option, a delicious dinner, this could even be a side dish for a get-together. I like to serve this grilled chicken orzo salad cold or chilled, with lots of avocado chunks and fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces orzo, cooked
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• kosher salt and pepper
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado, cubed

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette – 

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat your grill to the highest setting. Let it heat up for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package directions.
3. Season the chicken breasts all over with the paprika and garlic powder, along with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill grates. Grill for 5 minutes, then flip over and grill for 5 minutes more, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the chicken and let it rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, slice or chop the chicken.
4. Toss the orzo with half of the cilantro lime vinaigrette. Stir in the green onions and cilantro. Add the chicken and toss. If serving now, toss in the avocado. I love to serve this cool/room temperature, but you can also serve it warm! Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette – 

As a note, I love to make the cilantro lime dressing first. You can even make it a few hours ahead of time and stick it in the fridge!

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the lime juice, honey, garlic, cilantro salt, pepper, pepper flakes and olive oil. Blend until combined and smooth (some pieces of cilantro may remain). Leftovers stay great in the fridge for a few days! Store it in a sealed container.

Drizzle on extra dressing and serve!