Grilled chicken and orzo salad with feta

• 500 g boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 250 g orzo pasta
• 1 large english cucumbercut into 1cm dice
• 250 g cherry tomatoeshalved
• 80 g kalamata oliveshalved
• 1 small red onionthinly sliced
• 100 g feta cheesecrumbled
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped
• 5 g fresh oreganoleaves stripped and chopped
• 2 medium lemonjuiced, about 60ml total
• 2 garlic clovesfinely grated
• 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. While waiting, pat the chicken breasts dry, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and season both sides with the dried oregano, half the kosher salt, and half the black pepper.

   Tip: Salting the pasta water is key — it should taste like the sea.

2. 2

   Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until you see wisps of smoke, about 2 minutes. Lay the chicken breasts on the pan and cook without moving for 5-6 minutes until deep golden grill marks form and the chicken releases easily. Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes until the thickest part registers 74°C (165°F) and the juices run clear. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

   Tip: Resist the urge to move the chicken — leaving it undisturbed builds those beautiful char marks.

3. 3

   While the chicken grills, cook the orzo in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente, usually 8-9 minutes — it should still have a slight bite. Drain well, then transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to prevent sticking.

4. 4

   Make the vinaigrette: in a small area of the mixing bowl or whisk together the remaining olive oil (about 45ml), all the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, remaining salt, and remaining black pepper. Whisk until emulsified and slightly thickened.

   Tip: Grating the garlic on a microplane melts it right into the dressing — no sharp raw garlic bites.

5. 5

   Slice the rested chicken against the grain into 1cm-thick strips. Add the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, fresh parsley, and fresh oregano to the bowl with the orzo. Pour the vinaigrette over everything and toss until evenly coated.

6. 6

   Divide among bowls, top with the sliced chicken and crumbled feta, and eat warm — or refrigerate and enjoy cold straight from the fridge.

   Tip: This salad keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get better overnight as everything marinates. If eating cold, taste and add a small squeeze of extra lemon to brighten it back up.

• grill pan (30cm (12-inch))
• large pot (4-liter (4-quart))
• large mixing bowl
• cutting board
• whisk
• tongs

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.