Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo pasta (I used DeLallo brand)
½ cup almonds, toasted
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken from the deli)
4 green onions, chopped
½ cup dried pineapple
Zest of one orange
Juice from one orange
2 oranges cut into sections and cutting each section in half
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 medium clove garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a large pot of salted water boiling water add the orzo and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, and rinse cooked orzo under cold running water until the orzo is cooled, drain well.
In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked orzo, chicken, almonds, parsley, green onion, dried pineapple, and orange sections.
In a blender or small bowl, combine the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, a pinch of red pepper flakes and salt. Blend/Whisk until blended adding the reserved pasta water to the desired consistency.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Season with pepper, to taste.
Let the orzo salad rest for at least 10 minutes to soak up the dressing.
Adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve. Garnish with additional toasted almonds, orange zest, and parsley if desired.
Notes
Add feta cheese for extra zip!
Keywords: rotisserie chicken, orzo pasta, green onion, orange, dried pineapple, easy, salad,