Chicken pesto orzo salad
Delicious chicken and orzo salad with flavorful pesto dressing. The perfect blend of savory chicken and aromatic herbs for a delightful culinary experience.
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 garlic cloves, 2 crushed, 1 left whole
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 25g flaked almonds
- large bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- small bunch of basil
- small bunch of mint, leaves picked
- 25g parmesan, grated, plus extra shaved parmesan to serve
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle to serve
- 250g orzo
- 16 asparagus spears
Instructions:
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and place a piece of parchment paper over them. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound them to an even thickness of approximately 2cm, making sure not to break the chicken apart.
- Mix together the lemon zest, crushed garlic, olive oil, and some salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the chicken to the mixture and coat it with the marinade. Put it in the refrigerator while you prepare the pesto sauce.
- Toast the flaked almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until the almonds turn golden brown. Transfer them to a small food processor or blender. Peel the garlic clove and add it to the food processor along with the parsley, basil, most of the mint leaves, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and blend until smooth and finely textured.
- Cook the orzo pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions, or until it is firm to the bite. Heat a grill pan over a medium-high heat and grill the marinated chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until fully cooked with grill marks. Drain the orzo and move the chicken to a plate to let it rest.
- Drizzle the asparagus with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and grill for 3 minutes until slightly tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Mix most of the pesto with the cooked orzo pasta and any juices from the rested chicken. The leftover pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. Slice the chicken breasts. Transfer the orzo to a large serving dish and arrange the asparagus and chicken on top. Garnish with the remaining mint leaves, some parmesan cheese shavings, and a sprinkle of black pepper. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve while warm.
Summary:
- Calories: 2883 kcal
- Fat: 143 g
- Protein: 180 g
- Carbs: 221 g
- Potassium: 3880 mg
- Magnesium: 484 mg