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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.
This dish is amazing – all the flavors are spot on. The most requested dish in my house. All of my guys agreed that it was one of their top three dishes.
Hi Jamie,
Awesome! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This was delicious and I had almost everything which is a bonus. I love warm food over salad. Thanks!
Hey Cynthia,
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Loved this whole dish, but the dressing is SO good!
Hey Ali,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thursday❄️ xxT
Can’t wait to try this!
I hope you love the recipe Donna! xTieghan
I really loved everything about this recipe! I can imagine an endless amount of fresh summer combinations all starting with that dressing. Yum!
Hi Nicole,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Delish! We had tonight for dinner
Flavors are amazing
Hey Joanna,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
So good! Great for meal preps as it can be eaten hot or cold and it’s just as delicious. I did kind of want to add maybe arugula instead of the red lettuce. I think the pepperiness would be a nice addition added in just as the orzo is warm to wilt it slightly. Will try that next time! But other than that great recipe. Dressing is bang on and the veggies are good and really could be flexed for whatever you have around. I added a few artichoke hearts and it was so good!
Hey Katherine,
Thanks you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Th recipe accounts for 2/3 of the dressing. Is the last 3rd meant to be drizzled on top?
Hi Patty,
You can add more dressing to your liking. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This recipe is phenomenal! I added in arugula and subbed feta for the other cheeses and it still turned out so good.
Hey Eleanor,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy New Year!? xTieghan
Hey there would this work with lamb or beef?
Hey! Yes, that would be delicious! xxTieghan
Can I use regular balsamic vinegar if I can’t find white?
Hi there! It might change the flavor a bit, but that should work just fine! xTieghan
I love this recipe! I’ve made it several times already. I modified it to be vegetarian and its still super delicious! Just don’t make the chicken or bacon and add extra avocado for protein. It’s still extremely filling and delicious. I personally don’t like blue cheese so I used the herb goat cheese from Trader Joe’s and its SO GOOD. This is my new favorite lunch!
Hey! This is awesome, I’m so happy to hear this recipe turned out the way you’d hoped! 🙂 xTieghan
This is the third time I’ve made this amazing dish and it’s so yummy every single time. My kids absolutely love it and I keep a bottle of the dressing in the fridge to use on other salads. I love your recipes – they’re my go-to ?
Hi Chavi! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy Weekend 🙂 xTieghan
Very very good! I love the burst of flavor you get from this dish. 10/10 Will be making again.
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 xTieghan
I love this + combining some of my favorite ingredients from the pesto chicken, corn and avocado bacon pasta salad! Have served for my whole extended family + friends and it’s a hit every time
Hey Aiyana,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan