Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Balsamic Glaze & Ricotta Salata Orzo Salad
That’s a beautiful Mediterranean-inspired dish! It combines sweet-savory grilled chicken with a bright orzo salad and salty ricotta salata — perfect for a balanced meal. Here’s a full detailed recipe for you:
⏱ Time
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Glaze
4 boneless chicken breasts (or thighs, ~1½ lbs / 680g)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
For the Orzo Salad
1½ cups dry orzo pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup cucumber, diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
½ cup arugula (or baby spinach)
½ cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (or feta if unavailable)
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
Step 1 – Cook Orzo
1. Boil orzo in salted water until al dente (8–10 min).
2. Drain, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and let cool slightly.
Step 2 – Make the Strawberry Balsamic Glaze
1. In a small saucepan, combine strawberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, and garlic.
2. Simmer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until strawberries soften and sauce thickens slightly.
3. Blend with a hand blender (or mash with fork) until smooth. Set aside.
Step 3 – Grill Chicken
1. Rub chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Grill on medium-high heat (or grill pan) 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal temp).
3. Brush chicken with strawberry balsamic glaze in the last 2 minutes of grilling.
Step 4 – Assemble Orzo Salad
1. In a large bowl, toss cooked orzo with olive oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and arugula.
2. Season with salt & pepper.
3. Fold in ricotta salata crumbles.
Step 5 – Serve
Plate orzo salad first, top with grilled chicken, and drizzle extra glaze.
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
Tips
Ricotta salata is firm and salty (not creamy) — if you can’t find it, feta or pecorino romano works well.
Make extra glaze → it tastes amazing on roasted veggies or even as a sandwich spread.
For a lighter option, swap orzo with quinoa.
Nutrition information
Calories: ~520
Protein: 42g
Carbs: 48g
Fat:18g