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This Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad with Honey Mustard Bacon Dressing is the perfect summer dinner salad. It’s almost no-cook and comes together quickly and easily. Grilled chicken tossed with a lemony herb honey mustard dressing, orzo pasta, cheddar cheese cubes, crispy bacon, and creamy avocado. It’s colorful and so delicious. Enjoy this for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch. Warm or cold, it’s always good. Or serve this up at your next backyard dinner with friends.
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It’s a Monday salad, but an exciting Monday salad because it’s certainly not just greens and vegetables…there’s so much more! I love this one.
First of all, happy Monday guys. Hope everyone had a great weekend and is slowly slipping into the laid-back, chill, summertime mindset. It’s all about the easy-going life for the next three or so months, right? That’s kind of my thinking and I’m really embracing it when it comes to our weekly dinners.
I know most of us want to be out enjoying these summer days and not spending hours in the kitchen. So as I said last week, simple is the name of the game…all summer long.
I have what seems like hundreds of orzo recipes on HBH, so it’s really no secret that I love using orzo. Technically, it’s pasta, but it’s shaped like small rice, so I love tossing it into salads. It makes for super quick one-pot pasta dishes or even carbonara.
It really is so versatile, and one of my favorites ingredients to use in the summertime because of how quickly it cooks up.
Shockingly, I have not shared an orzo salad with you guys. So when I had this idea, I jumped right in and created it. It ended up being the perfect, quick-to-throw-together summer dinner…and you guys, it really is good and for so many reasons…
The lemon herb honey mustard dressing, the grilled chicken, orzo, bacon, creamy avocado, melty cubes of cheddar cheese, and fresh herbs. And when put all together, such a GOOD combination.
Here are the details…start with the dressing
The dressing is where you want to start. I was so into the dressing I made for those burrata vegetable sandwiches I shared the other week that I used the same dressing here. Only I added fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, and basil, and a shallot too.
The dressing is the heart of this recipe. As the chicken grills in it and then the hot orzo gets tossed up with it too.
It’s a little herby, spicy, sweet, and tangy…all the things we really love.
Grill up that chicken and toss the orzo
Once you toss the chicken in the dressing, throw it on the grill. While the chicken is grilling, I boil off the orzo and then toss it with the chicken.
Now, this next step is key. I like to toss the hot orzo with the cubes of cheese and the dressing. The heat from the pasta turns the cheese melty and helps the dressing really soak into the pasta and infuse it with flavor.
Now finish it up
When you have the chicken grilled and the orzo tossed, add everything else, then top with the avocado and more fresh herbs.
You can enjoy this warm or cold, though I LOVE this warm with those melty chunks of cheddar cheese.
Totally and completely delicious. But simple to make!
I know I say this just about every day, but this recipe really is good.
It’s one of those recipes that you’ll crave time and time again. Plus the sauce just kind of melts in your mouth. YUM!
Looking for other quick dinners? Here are some favorites:
Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata
Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad
Tropical Jerk Grilled Chicken with Charred Mango Salsa Verde
Lastly, if you make this Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Avocado Orzo Salad with Honey Mustard Bacon Dressing
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup mixed herbs, chopped, (rosemary, oregano, basil)
- 1 small shallot, grated
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes
Salad
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 1 bell pepper, quartered
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese , (optional)
- 2 cups shredded red leaf lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.2. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 1/3 of the dressing. Let sit 10 minutes. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until lightly charred and cooked through, turning halfway through cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes. During the same time, grill the bell pepper, until lightly charred, then chop.3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the orzo to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. Add the hot orzo, cheddar cheese, blue cheese, and 1/3 of the dressing, toss to combine. Add the chicken, grilled peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon, tossing to combine.4. Top the pasta with avocado. Season with freshly cracked pepper and salt. Serve warm or cold.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi,
Longtime watcher, follower, LOVE your recipes and I want to steal your photographer/layout designer……so impressive!
Question, title says Honey Mustard Bacon Dressing, but I don’t see bacon in the dressing. I realize bacon is in the salad but not listed in the dressing.
Thanks!
Addendum: I own both your cookbooks, thank you.
Hey Rich,
Yes, the bacon is in the salad! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
It was better on day two. I’d make it again but when a few changes:
-I’d do half the orzo. The picture made it look like it was 50/50 pasta to toppings but it was more 90/10 pasta to toppings (I also added more toppings than it asked for). I cook for me and my parents and we like to eat – way more than 6 servings. We’re on day four of this orzo pasta.
-Then the herb dressing was delish on the chicken and grilled nicely, however, I would skip the rosemary next time (or at least for the dressing used on the pasta). I did about 1/8 cup oregeno, 1/8 cup rosemary, 1/4 cup basil, and the rosemary is very overpowering.
Otherwise this is good! Feels like healthier, summer, comfort food.
Hey Laura,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your feedback. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
This is such a great recipe! The whole family loved it! We’ve been picking our way through your dinners during covid. We no longer go out to dinner since it never is as good as your recipes! Thanks for all your amazing dishes!
Hey Janine,
Happy Friday! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Oh my goodness! So light, yummy and refreshing.
Hey Shannon,
Happy Friday! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Delicious! Made this last night…all our boys LOVED it (age 3-13)…will become part of the regular routine that’s for sure!
Hey Stephanie,
Happy Friday! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Omg sooooo good! I was too lazy to grill chicken so I added rotisserie chicken and it was amazing. Could do with steak or shrimp too.
Hey Kim,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This was great! I did sub the cheddar for goat cheese, which was great! It did take a bit to get this recipe to completion (dishes and time) but it was great!
Hey Liza,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This was so delicious! I have sent this recipe to several friends who all raved about it! I ended up using goat cheese in place of the blue cheese and it was great. I also didn’t feel the cheddar was totally necessary- excellent with or without it. The dressing on this is incredible!
Hey Brittany,
I really appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Where is the last 1/3 of the dressing ?
Hey Claire,
You can use the remaining dressing as you like if you want more on the salad or save for a later time. I hope you love the dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Love this! Quick question. There seems to be a one third of dressing missing. When do we add it in? Or is it to keep and combine and top at the every end before serving? Thanks!
Hey Andy,
You can use that remaining dressing to your liking or save for later. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Really loved this one. It came together quick and had such nice summer flavors
Hey Karla,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! Have a great Tuesday. xxTieghan
This was dinner tonight and it was delicious! My husband loved it !
Your recipes are wonderful!
Thank you!
Hey Anne,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! Have a great Tuesday. xxTieghan
The tops says rosemary, thyme, basil. Then the recipe says rosemary, oregano, basil. Does it matter ? I didn’t grab any thyme :/
Hey Jo,
You can really use any herbs that you like here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Wow! Loved this salad! What a great summertime dinner. I’m definitely putting this in my meal rotation!
Hey JoAnn,
Awesome! So so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xxTieghan
Hi sounds delish and can’t wait to try. If you marinate the chicken with 1/3 of the dressing and use 1/3 of the dressing for the pasta – what do you do with the last third?
Hey Vee,
You can save for another time or add more to your liking. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan