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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.
Sooo good! I can’t wait until leftovers tomorrow!
Hey Judy,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
SOOOOO GOOD. Perfect salad! The dressing is amazing, will be keeping that for other salads as well!
Hey Nicole,
Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a go! Have a great day! xxTieghan
I made this recipe tonight and it was amazing!!!
Hey Jenny,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This looks great minus the avocado, I can’t eat . I have one question you describe the dressing as honey mustard bacon dressing, but I notice there is no bacon or bacon drippings in actual dressing just bacon added to salad at the end. Do you ever add drippings to the dressing.
Hey Candy,
I don’t, it’s just the bacon that is used in the recipe:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This recipe is absolutely scrumptiously delicious!!!!!
I love all honey mustard dressing.
This one is so sooooo nice.
Thank you
Hey Christie,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
The dressing is perfect!
Hey Patricia,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This was delicious! I doubled the marinade recipe for a few lbs. of chicken, swapped quinoa for the orzo (dietary constraint), and feta for the cheddar. It was amazing. I just wish I could prep faster, cause it took a lot of time, but it was worth it. 🙂
Hey Wendy,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful holiday weekend ?? xTieghan
This was AMAZING! Left out the blue cheese and bacon because I didn’t have them (and not a fan of blue cheese). Would 100% make again and can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Hey Jacqueline,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
Made this recipe but skipped the bacon. In typical HBH fashion, it was delicious!!
Hey Julie,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xxTieghan
So I needed to pop on real quick and just say…WOW! I’ve made several of your recipes and not one has let me down yet, so I knew this wasn’t going to disappoint. I only made the dressing/marinade for the chicken and then used the rest just in a regular salad. This is definitely my new go to for a simple grilled chicken salad. The dressing/marinade is probly 1 of the best I’ve made so far! So good and so easy! Thank you! ❤
Hey Jen,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Delicious! Usually I follow the recipe to the letter the first time I make it, but in this case, I substituted wild rice for the orzo (I know my limitations, and I can’t be trusted with that much pasta!), and it turned out awesome. The dressing is so good! My new favorite dressing! I’m going to make it again tonight!
Hey Leslie,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful week:) xTieghan
Delish- chickpeas instead of orzo and feta for cheddar- yum!
Also didn’t have white balsamic so I used half rice wine and half balsamic glaze- came out great!
Hey Suzanne,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to like this recipe or not. And I’m not even sure why. But I LOVE this recipe! Seriously love this recipe. Everything about it is perfect. I didn’t use as much orzo pasta as stated, only two cups (as it was just my fiancé and I), and still had some leftovers for the both of us. I will definitely be making this often!
Hey Cassie,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
Great recipe! I would do less oregano on the herbs and more basil when doing your mix and I liked adding feta instead of cheddar. I also roasted zucchini and red onions and added that, it was so good!
Hey Alex,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
This recipe was amazing! The dressing, so many flavor sensations… the melty cheese… I used one teaspoon each of dried herbs (minus oregano) and it was perfect. Also used regular balsamic instead of white. And used a bit less orzo. This is a keeper for sure. Looking forward to leftovers! Thank you!
Hey Carly,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan