Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad

This Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad is packed with bright Summer flavors like skillet charred sweet corn, fresh herbs, and a zippy lemon dressing. Prep ahead for potlucks or a work day no-reheat lunch you’ll look forward to!

What are the ingredients in Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad?

This recipe takes your usual pantry staples (orzo, oil, seasoning, etc) and adds the perfect combination of seasonal ingredients (corn and fresh herbs!!) to create a seriously delicious one of a kind salad. If you like fresh corn in the Summer, I’m positive you’ll love this recipe.

Here are the details for each of the ingredients I used:

• orzo – You’ll need a container of dry orzo as the base of this recipe. Be sure to check the cook times, different brands of orzo can have vastly different cook times.
• chicken breasts – Look for some evenly sized chicken breasts on the smaller side, if possible. This helps them cook faster and not crowd the pan.
• avocado oil – I prefer to cook with avocado oil because of the high smoke point, especially when using a cast iron pan.
• paprika, garlic powder & salt – This simple blend of seasonings give the chicken incredible flavor on it’s own, while not overpowering the fresh corn and herbs.
• corn cobs – Grab 2 medium (large work too) ears of corn to use for this recipe. You can either grill the corn cobs if that’s your thing, or you can remove the kernels and char them on the stove in a cast iron as described in the recipe. Pick whichever method sounds easier to you!
• fresh basil & cilantro – This combo sounds odd at first, but they work so well together! There’s just something about fresh herbs that bring a pasta salad to life.
• goat cheese or feta cheese – In this salad, you can use your favorite between the two, or skip it entirely if you don’t like either. The corn and herbs shine in all scenarios!

For the lemon dressing, we’re using extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice plus zest, salt, and fresh ground black pepper. These pantry staples plus the fresh lemons make a simple dressing that compliments the seasonal ingredient in the orzo salad perfectly!

Equipment you’ll need to make this orzo salad:

To make this recipe, you’ll need a pot for boiling the orzo (any pot will do) and a larger bowl for serving and storing the salad. I use bowls from this 8-Piece Pyrex Sculptured Mixing Bowl Set (affiliate link!) nearly everyday. They come with lids, too!

For the dressing, you can use any bowl and whisk, but I’m always pulling out a mason jar in this situation. Specifically the Pint Sized Wide Mouth Mason Jars (affiliate link!) for shaking up a dressing like the one in this recipe.

How to make Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad:

There are a few different components to this recipe, but they’re each quite simple on their own, and they all come together easily. Like any pasta salad, you’ll just need to cook or chop each part, then combine everything together.

Start by heating water in a saucepan over high heat. You can use a medium saucepan for this amount of orzo – no need to use the giant soup pot! Once boiling, be sure add at least 1/2 tablespoon salt to season the water. This helps infuse flavor into your orzo while it cooks.

Cook the orzo to al dente, or the minimum time on the package directions. Be sure to check your package, as various kinds of orzo can have much different cooking requirements. Drain the orzo well and then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and bring it to room temperature. Let it drain over the sink while you work on the rest of the recipe.

Next, slice the raw chicken breasts in half horizontally into 4 equally sized pieces. For raw chicken, be sure to use a different cutting board than the one you’ll be using for everything else. I keep a plastic cutting board on hand for this, and only use it for raw meat.

Using your hands (or gloves!), rub the cut chicken breasts all over with the avocado oil and seasonings, then set the cutting board with chicken aside for now. It won’t be sitting for long, so no need to put it in the fridge.

Time to cook! Heat a large cast iron (my preference for best flavor) or non-stick skillet over a medium heat. If your cast iron is well oiled, add the corn kernels directly to the pan when it’s hot. Otherwise, add a small splash of oil as well. Stir the corn occasionally, letting it cook and char on each side for about 3-4 minutes each. Once the corn is sufficiently charred to your liking, transfer it from the cast iron into a bowl and set aside.

Back to the chicken. Return the same cast iron pan to medium heat and add a splash of avocado oil. Tilt your pan so the whole bottom is coated, then place the chicken into the pan. Cook the seasoned chicken for about 7 minutes on each side until slightly charred and cooked through (internal temperature should read 165F).

Once completely cooked, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing the chicken into bite-sized pieces – the size you would want to find in your pasta salad! I like smaller pieces, but that’s just me.

While the chicken cools, make the dressing. In a mason jar with lid, or small bowl, pour in all the dressing ingredients (honestly, you can eyeball it!). Put the lid on and shake it up, or whisk until combined.

Transfer the cooked orzo into a large mixing bowl and make sure it’s broken up and not clumpy. Fold in the cooled chicken, charred corn, and dressing. Check the seasoning to see if you’d like to add any more salt or pepper (my excuse to take a huge bite).

Finally, fold in the fresh basil, fresh cilantro and the crumbled goat cheese. Leave the salad to stand for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld a little before serving. Top with additional fresh herbs and crumbled goat cheese if you’d like!

Best tips for making Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad:

Here are my best tips for making this recipe successfully in your own kitchen:

• Watch your orzo carefully and cook only to al dente or the minimum cook time on the box. This small pasta shape will soak up the dressing as it sits and if it is overcooked at all, it will become mushy.
• Look for smaller, similar sized chicken breasts. In addition, do your best to cut them evenly. Smaller breasts cook faster, and evenly sized helps them cook at the same rate overall.
• Cutting corn from the cob doesn’t require anything special. Just lay flat and cut it carefully like you would any other produce – make a flat edge, then keep rotating as you cut. Hot take: I actually despise the two bowl method!! The Kitchn agrees with me.

What to serve with this Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad:

This orzo salad makes a delicious meal on it’s own in my opinion, but I think it would also be good with some other fresh veggies like sliced tomatoes, cucumber, or bell peppers.

Ways to meal prep this recipe:

There are a couple ways to save time by preparing all or part of this recipe ahead of time. Here are some options:

1. Ingredient prep: Both the corn and chicken breast could be cooked up to 48 hours ahead of time. Complete Steps 2-4 but save Step 1 (cook the orzo) for when you plan to make the entire recipe.
2. Complete meal prep: Make the recipe as written, but portion the orzo salad evenly into four containers with lids to enjoy within the next 3 days.
3. Enjoy now & later: Prepare all the ingredients and make the recipe as written. Enjoy some now, then store leftovers in meal prep containers with lids and use up within 3 days.

Is this recipe freezer-friendly?

No, I would not recommend freezing this recipe as a whole. However, the cooked chicken and corn would both freeze well once cooled.

How to store Lemony Chicken and Corn Orzo Salad:

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Before enjoying from the fridge, add a spritz of fresh lemon juice and briefly stir to remix any dressing that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.

Recipe developed by Rachel Phipps.