Greek Chicken & Orzo Salad

This is my new favorite dinner. I get excited just thinking about eating it. This recipe is full of bold flavors that taste so delicious together. I got this idea from one of the Rachael Ray cookbooks I have. I have just modified the recipe to fit my cooking style and taste preferences. If you have picky eaters in your family, you may want to put the ingredients they don’t like in a separate bowl and add those in separately.

Greek Chicken & Orzo Salad

1 pound orzo pasta

4-5 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 ½ tsp rosemary

1 ½ tsp red pepper flakes

Zest and juice of two limes

2/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil plus another 1/3 cup (use at different times in recipe)

1 red onion, chopped

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

12 oz. feta cheese crumbles

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, seeded and diced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook orzo according to package instructions.

Heat a large sauté pan. Combine the garlic, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flakes, zest of two limes, juice of one lime, and 2/3 cups extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Place the chicken piece into the bowl and coat evenly.

Place the chicken pieces in the sauté pan and cook thoroughly.

Drain the orzo and place in large mixing bowl with chicken, onions, parsley, feta, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, juice of one lime, and 1/3 cups olive oil.