What You’ll Need

Before you purchase everything on the ingredient list, this is your reminder to check your kitchen for any ingredients you already have! Grab your grocery list and write down the rest of the ingredients you’ll need!

• Chicken
• Orzo
• Chicken Base
• Onion
• Basil
• Lemons
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Parmesan Cheese
• Spinach

Some items, like chicken base and onion, are kitchen staples while others may be ones you need to purchase just for this recipe, such as the heavy whipping cream. That means you should have an idea of what you can use the rest of it for! I don’t want you to have to buy something just to waste half of it!

With any additional heavy whipping cream you can make homemade whipped cream! Simply add it to a high powered mixer and add in some vanilla extract. Whip it until stiff peaks form and you’re set!

You can use this on top of a root beer float, a bowl of chopped fruit, or simply on its own!

What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Orzo?

Honestly, this is a whole meal in itself. This dish has protein, carbs, and fat. All three macronutrients!

Beyond a nutrition standpoint, Creamy Chicken Orzo will fill up your stomachs without having to consider any additional side dishes!

If you do want to add to this meal, I would opt for a greek salad, grilled crostini with olive oil, or some freshly sliced tomatoes with seasoning!

Side dishes don’t need to be complicated! By picking items that are simple, your time in the kitchen with decrease dramatically.

Craving More?

I you try this recipe I would appreciate it if you give it a 5-star rating and leave a review! It truly helps me share my recipes with others. Also, I would love to see how it turns out. Tag me in a photo on Instagram!

Try some of these other recipes, too!

• Zucchini Fritters with Mozzarella Cheese
• Refreshing Chickpea Salad
• Fall Harvest Sheet Pan Dinner
• Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

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Creamy Chicken Orzo with Lemon

You will fall in love with this Creamy Chicken Orzo with Lemon. The simplicity of the cream paired with the brightness of the lemon makes for the perfect weeknight meal!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 5 People

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 Pounds Chicken Breast
• 1/3 Whole Onion
• 1 Whole Lemon
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ~1 Tablespoon Basil Fresh or Dried
• 5 Cups Water
• 1/4 Pound Orzo
• 1 Teapoon Chicken Base
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• ~3 Cups Spinach

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Instructions

 

• Start by adding olive oil to a large pan. Then, mince your onion and add it to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until translucent. Cut your chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pan.
• Using a clean cutting board and knife chop your fresh basil and add it to the chicken. Cook chicken until done. Internal temperature should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once done set stove to warm. Slice half of the lemon into slices and add to the chicken then and add juice from the other half.
• In a pot heat 5 cups of water to a boil. Add chicken base and mix thoroughly. Once boiling add orzo. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add cooked orzo and 1 cup of pasta water to the chicken.
• Add spinach, heavy whipping cream, and parmesan cheese to the pan. Cover and warm on low-medium until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted.

Notes

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Keyword Casserole, Dinner, Pasta, Protein

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Making It Your Own

Keep in mind that for this recipe you can make it your own! If tomatoes disgust you, omit them! If you love salami in pasta salad, add it in!

Take the recipe as a guideline. You can definitely get a delicious pasta salad by following the recipe but by adjusting it to your personal taste preferences then you’ll love it even more!

Can This Pasta Salad Be Prepped Ahead Of Time?

Yes! This pasta salad is simple but can be made even easier! You can space it out by cutting up the ingredients one day then combining them on other.

If you want to make it even easier you can purchase most of the ingredients already chopped up at your grocery store.

For best results, allow the pasta salad to marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

Is Pasta Salad Healthy?

In the right serving, yes! This dish is best had as a side to your main entree. The rotini noodles provide carbs, the cheese has protein, and the italian dressing has your satiating fats. Plus there’s a ton of veggies for some extra filling fiber!

Ways To Increase The Nutrition

• Use chickpea pasta
  • Chickpea-based pasta will have more protein and they taste very similar!
• Turkey pepperoni instead of pork
• More veggies
• Less dressing
  • Be aware that using less dressing will make it lighter in calories but will also change the taste
  • There is always the option to use a ‘lite’ italian dressing but the ingredients in this variety of dressing isn’t always the better option

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Want More?

Wanting to bring a dessert to your BBQ as well? Try these!

• Soft Maple Cookies
• Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake
• Olive Oil Cake with Orange Zest

If you make the Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing I would love to hear how it turns out. Be sure to leave a comment below or tag me in a photo on Instagram @piece.of.lulu!

Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 15 Servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Pound Rotini Pasta
• 1/2 Cup Colby Jack Cheese Cubed
• 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Cubed
• 3/4 Cup Black Olives Sliced
• 3/4 Cup Bell Pepper any color
• 1/2 Cup Red Onion Diced
• 30 Perpperoni
• 1.5 Cups Cherry Tomatoes Sliced
• 1.5 Cups Italian Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Salad Supreme Seasoning

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Instructions

 

• Boil pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain.
• While boiling you can prep all ingredients. It does not matter the order you do this.
• Cube the cheese into preferred equal sizes (I did about 1/4in cubes).
• Rinse and slice black olives.
• Rinse and slice bell pepper (equates to about 1/2 of a pepper).
• Finely dice red onion.
• Cut pepperoni in half.
• Cut tomatoes into halves or quarters.
• Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Add Italian dressing and salad supreme. Mix well.
• Enjoy immediately or refrigerate overnight for best results.

Keyword Appetizer, Pasta

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