Lemon Herb Chicken, Orzo, and Mozzarella Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 
1 tablespoon chopped oregano or thyme
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 garlic clove, grated, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

Salad:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips

1 pound dry orzo pasta

4 tomatoes, thinly sliced, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1-2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped

8 ounces mozzarella pearls

1 cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped or torn

Heat oven to 350 F.

Combine all dressing ingredients in a glass jar and whisk or shake until smooth.  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

In a baking or roasting pan, toss the chicken strips with half of the dressing.  Roast in oven for 30 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Boil the orzo to al dente according to the package directions.  Drain.  Allow to cool a bit.  

Combine cooked chicken and pasta, tomatoes, peppers, mozzarella, and basil, with remaining dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or cold.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Half-Baked Harvest blog recipe

Caprese Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

16 ounces bowtie pasta
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped into ribbons
1 8 ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil with herbs
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar glaze
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
Fresh black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cool water.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, mozzarella, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes, along with a small amount of oil from the jar.  Reserve the remaining oil to moisten the salad later as needed.

In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar glaze, olive oil, garlic, salt, dried basil, and black pepper to taste.  Pour over the pasta and stir everything gently to coat.  Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Serves 10 to 12.

From Belle of the Kitchen blog, with minor changes

Herby Lemony Orzo Salad

4 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, water, or combination
1 1/2 cups orzo
2 large handfuls baby spinach or arugula leaves, chopped 
1 15-ounce can chickpeas/garbanzo beans or white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cucumber, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
1-2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pour the broth/water into a heavy, large saucepan - add salt if using only water.  Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Stir in the orzo.  Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes.  Drain the orzo through a strainer.  Transfer orzo to a large bowl and toss until it cools slightly. Set aside to cool completely.

Add remaining ingredients to bowl.  Toss evenly until combined.  Taste and season with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, or more to taste, and also add more lemon juice if desired.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Recipe combined from GimmeSomeOven blog and Giada De Laurentis from the Food Network