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This tasty 30-minute Chicken Orzo Pasta Salad is addictively good! It’s full of perfectly air-fried chicken breast, tender pasta, and fresh veggies coated in a delicious creamy yogurt based dressing with hints of dill and smoked paprika!
Easy Chicken Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
Okay, can we talk about orzo!?! If you don’t know what it is then you are missing out. It’s a tiny little thin rice-shaped pasta that is absolutely delicious! For me, it’s the best part of pasta and rice in one. I find orzo to be an incredibly comforting and refined ingredient that can be used in sides, mains, salads, and soups! In fact, I used it to make my yummy Chicken Meatball Noodle Soup.
Yet, in this case, orzo is the star ingredient of this chicken orzo pasta salad recipe! It’s an outstanding easy to make salad bursting with complex flavor! It’s got that same herby dilly goodness as my incredible Greek Chicken Pasta Salad, but a totally different flavor profile. And this recipe calls for Air Fryer Chicken Breast, which makes for super tender and juicy chicken. That being said, if you don’t have an air fryer, don’t worry! You can sear the chicken in a pan instead and it will still be just as tasty!
One of my other favorite things about this pasta salad is the dressing! The orzo may be the star, but the dressing is what makes this salad. The combination of the Greek yogurt and mayo combined with the smoked paprika and fresh dill add so much depth in flavor. The ingredients together create a zesty creamy dressing with hints of smokiness. So I highly recommend that you don’t omit the smoked paprika and use fresh dill. Dried herbs are no comparison to the pop of flavor that fresh herbs add!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Orzo Pasta Salad
- Quick And Easy! With the help of an air fryer to cook the chicken, you can whip this pasta salad together in just 30 minutes! It’s a nearly effortless recipe with very little prep time or cleanup.
- Chicken Orzo Yumminess! With lots of chicken and fresh veggies coated in a super flavorful creamy dressing with fresh dill and smoked paprika, this chicken orzo pasta salad is unbelievably good.
- Perfect Make Ahead! This salad is a fantastic make-ahead lunch or dinner option that is both healthy and filling. But it’s also perfect for potlucks, picnics, and parties too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken
- Chicken – You will need boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. However, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Herbs and Spices – I used garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano. In this instance, the ground spices tend to do a better job of infusing the chicken with flavor.
Orzo Salad
- Orzo – You will need some uncooked orzo pasta for this salad. If you can’t find orzo other tiny pasta types will work such as Israeli couscous or ditalini.
- Green Bell Pepper – I used green, but you can use red bell pepper or any color of bell pepper you’d like.
- Red Onion – I love the flavor that raw red onion adds, but any type of onion will work.
- English Cucumber – I prefer to use seedless English cucumber, but if you use regular cucumber you can easily remove the seeds.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Fresh ripe cherry or grape tomatoes are my first choice. Yet, any type of tomato diced into bite-size pieces will do.
Dressing
- Greek Yogurt – You need to use plain flavorless yogurt. I like to use Greek for the taste and texture, but any type of plain yogurt can be used.
- Mayonnaise – Adds some lovely creaminess and zesty flavor along with the yogurt.
- Dijon Mustard – Just a touch adds a refined taste.
- Garlic – Use freshly minced garlic cloves for the most intense taste.
- Smoked Paprika – One of my favorite spices that adds depth to almost any dish.
- Olive Oil – Use extra virgin olive oil for the best results.
- Dill – Fresh dill adds an unbelievably good pop of flavor that should not be omitted.
- Seasonings – You’ll need a bit of salt and pepper to season the dressing.
This easy 4-step recipe comes together in just 30 minutes! And if you don’t have an air fryer it’s not a problem! You can just cook the chicken breast in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven like I do my Baked Chicken Breast.
Air Fry The Chicken
To begin you need to cook the chicken! First, pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Then season them on both sides with the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Now, lay the breasts in the basket of your air fryer and lightly spray them with cooking spray. Finally, put the basket into the air fryer and cook the chicken for 10 minutes at 380°F (193°C), flipping them over halfway through cooking.
When the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the air fryer basket and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then chop it into 1-inch pieces and set it aside for a later step.
Cook The Orzo
While the chicken is air frying, bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Next, add the orzo and cook it for 10 minutes or until al dente. Then drain the cooked orzo and transfer it to a large bowl.
Make The Dressing
Once you get the pasta cooking, whip together the yummy dressing. You can do this one of two ways. Either put all the dressing ingredients into a mason jar, close the lid, and shake super well or just whisk everything together in a medium bowl. Just make sure whichever way you choose that everything is well incorporated.
Make The Salad
With the orzo cooked, chicken chopped, and the dressing made, let’s assemble this tasty pasta salad! To begin, add the chopped bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and cucumber to the bowl with orzo along with the chopped chicken. Now, drizzle the dressing over all the ingredients in the bowl and then toss everything together until it’s fully coated.
Serve And Enjoy
And that’s it! The chicken orzo pasta salad can be served right away or stored in the fridge for later. It’s really good served over some fresh arugula or spinach tossed in some lemon juice and then topped with some feta cheese or goat cheese!
Is Orzo Pasta Gluten-Free?
No, while orzo may look similar to rice, it is not gluten-free. It’s typically made with white flour or semolina flour. However, it is possible to find gluten-free orzo pasta in some grocery stores.
How Do You Keep Orzo From Getting Mushy?
Orzo becomes mushy when it has been overcooked or not drained properly. This is why it’s important to cook the orzo to “al dente”, which means fully cooked but still firm to the bite with a slight chew. So I always suggest checking the doneness of the pasta about 2 minutes before the package directions indicate.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water. The pasta cooking water needs to be well salted to infuse some flavor into the orzo. You should add about 1 tablespoon to the boiling water.
- Let the chicken rest. Give your chicken the 5 minutes it needs to rest so that the meat stays juicy. If you cut the chicken too soon all the juices will run out and make it dry.
- Taste the dressing. Before mixing the dressing together with all the other ingredients you should taste it first and add salt if needed. This is the best way to season the pasta salad.
Storage
Chicken orzo pasta salad leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. And it’s even better the next day, so they make a fantastic lunch! But sadly this dish does not freeze well.
Other Delicious Recipes To Try
- Creamy Broccoli Pasta
- Mushroom Cauliflower Skillet
- Creamy Red Pepper Sausage Pasta
- Southwest Chicken And Rice Skillet
- Crack Chicken Penne
- Chicken Kiev Pasta
- Skillet Pizza Pesto Orzo
- Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Chicken Orzo Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 medium chicken breasts boneless and skinless (about 1 pound)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Orzo Salad
- 12 ounces orzo uncooked
- 2 medium bell peppers chopped in ½ inch pieces
- 1 medium red onion finely chopped
- ½ English cucumber finely chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook The Chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper evenly on both sides.
- Place the chicken breasts in the basket of your air fryer and lightly spray the breasts with cooking spray. Air fry for 10 minutes at 380°F turning the chicken over halfway through. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then chop it into 1 inch pieces.
Cook The Orzo
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook for 10 minutes or until cooked al dente. Drain and transfer the orzo to a large bowl.
Make The Dressing
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a mason jar, close the lid and shake well. Alternatively, you can whisk all the dressing ingredients in a medium size bowl.
Assemble The Salad
- Add the chopped bell peppers, onion, tomatoes and cucumber to the bowl with orzo. Add the chopped chicken and drizzle the dressing over. Toss everything well together and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Salt your pasta water. The pasta cooking water needs to be well salted to infuse some flavor into the orzo. You should add about 1 tablespoon to the boiling water.
- Let the chicken rest. Give your chicken the 5 minutes it needs to rest so that the meat stays juicy. If you cut the chicken too soon all the juices will run out and make it dry.
- Taste the dressing. Before mixing the dressing together with all the other ingredients you should taste it first and add salt if needed. This is the best way to season the pasta salad.
- Chicken orzo pasta salad leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. And it’s even better the next day, so they make a fantastic lunch! But sadly this dish does not freeze well.
