Easy Chopped Greek Salad with Orzo Recipe

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Gluten free chickpea orzo pasta is mixed with garbanzo beans, chopped cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, shallots and avocado to create a deliciously hearty side or light main dish!

This is your new favorite (and embarrassingly easy) Greek-inspired side dish!

I love Mediterranean food — there’s something so light and health-conscious yet deliciously satisfying about it. Add in pasta (a gluten free chickpea pasta, nonetheless!) and I am in heaven.

Orzo is just a rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and happens to go great with anything Greek. You can use any orzo you have on hand but I have been loving the Banza rice! It’s made from chickpeas but tastes and feels just like orzo or rice and it’s lower carb, higher protein and gluten free. Hard to beat!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s embarrassingly easy. We’re talking chop, mix, and done. No complicated steps, just fresh produce tossed together in a big ol’ salad bowl with a zippy Greek dressing that brings everything to life.
  • It’s light but still fills you up. This isn’t some sad, wimpy salad. Thanks to crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and protein-packed chickpeas, it’s hearty enough to be a main course but still works as an easy side dish.
  • Perfect for meal prep. Whip up a batch, toss it in a large serving bowl, and boom—lunch for the next couple of days. Just hold off on the avocado until you’re ready to eat (no one likes sad, brown avocado).

This delicious chopped Greek salad is fresh, vibrant, and full of different flavors—bright, tangy, salty, and just really, really good. It’s one of those go-to meals you’ll want to make on repeat!

Here’s what you’ll need to make my Chopped Greek Salad with Orzo:

  • Orzo
  • Garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas)
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • English cucumber
  • Avocado
  • Shallot
  • Jalapeño
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

How you’ll make my Chopped Greek Salad with Orzo:

  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a hefty pinch of salt then add orzo. Cook according to package directions then drain and rinse under cool water.
  2. Meanwhile, chop all veggies and drain and rinse garbanzo beans placing everything into your serving bowl. Once orzo has cooled, add to the veggies.
  3. Season with 1 tsp. salt and pepper each, red wine vinegar and drizzle of olive oil. Serve at room temperature or cool!

Now for the simple pan roasted chicken…

Tips for perfectly cooked stovetop boneless, skinless chicken breasts

It’s super simple to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts stovetop with the right pan, a timer and the right amount of heat underneath! Here are my tips:

  1. BRING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. The colder your chicken is the more the oil will splatter when you place them into the pan which is SUCH a mess! Bring them to room temp which usually takes about 10-20 minutes.
  2. SEASON WELL. Chicken is the most commonly eaten protein because it can be flavored millions of ways… because it’s pretty stinking plain to start. It’s amazing what a good pat of salt and pepper can do to bring out the juiciness of the chicken! I also love using paprika for a nice color and slightly zesty flavor.
  3. OIL YOUR PAN. Yes, even a really good non-stick pan needs oil or at least a heavy hand of cooking spray! Heat your pan over medium heat, then add oil or spray and cook a minute longer before adding in chicken PRETTY SIDE DOWN. Always cook the smooth side of the breasts first!
  4. NO TOUCHING! Once the chicken has been placed into the hot pan, don’t move it or finick with it until it’s time to flip over. This will help to create your nice crispy crust!
  5. SIZE MATTERS. Ugh I know. This is what can make cooking seem daunting — these days there’s not just one “normal” breast size so they’ll cook for different amounts of time. Use this guide for timing: 2 breasts at 1/2 lb. each should cook for *around* 6 minutes per side, plus or minus depending on how hearty they are. The best thing you can do is try to purchase breasts that look equal in size to one another so they cook at the same rate!
  6. REST IN PEACE. Once the breasts have cooked through, remove them from the heat and let them rest on your cutting board for at least 5 minutes before slicing. This time allows the juices to penetrate back into the chicken so it’s moist, otherwise when you slice you’ll have dry chicken sitting in a puddle of au jus.

FAQs

Yes, you can! While orzo works perfectly for this recipe, you can substitute it with other small pasta shapes like farfalle, penne, or fusilli.

Absolutely! This salad can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Just make sure to store the dressing ingredients separately in a small bowl or separate container until you’re ready to serve to avoid sogginess.

If you want to make the salad heartier, consider adding chicken (I included tips above for perfectly cooked stovetop chicken!), lamb chops, chicken, or even a scoop of hummus. Quinoa or roasted vegetables can also make the salad more filling without compromising the Mediterranean vibe. For an extra protein boost, you can add some nutty chickpeas or black olives for more flavor.

Yes! While red wine vinegar is traditional, you can substitute it with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even a bit of tangy balsamic vinegar for a different flavor profile. To enhance the best flavor, you could also drizzle some extra virgin olive oil for a more robust taste.

Yes, canned chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are perfectly fine, that’s what I use in this recipe! Just be sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the salad to remove any excess sodium.

This amazing Greek salad recipe is crisp, flavorful, and easy to make. Inspired by a traditional Greek salad, it features fresh cucumbers and a bright dressing, making it a perfect choice for any meal. Whether you’re craving a classic Greek salad as a side or a light main dish, this recipe delivers fresh, vibrant flavors every time!

Thank you for being an amazing reader of The Savvy Spoon! If you loved this post, I would so appreciate you rating it below and/or leaving a comment! Be sure to follow me on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for more recipes and twin mom lifestyle content!

Chopped Greek Salad with Orzo

Gluten free chickpea orzo pasta is mixed with garbanzo beans, chopped cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, shallots and avocado to create a deliciously hearty side or light main dish!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Greek, Mediterranean

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup orzo pasta I used Banza chickpea rice
  • 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans or "chickpeas"
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ English cucumber peeled and diced
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 1 shallot sliced thinly
  • ½ jalapeño deseeded and minced
  • 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • fresh parsley leaves

Instructions
 

  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a hefty pinch of salt then add orzo. Cook according to package directions then drain and rinse under cool water.
  • Meanwhile, chop all veggies and drain and rinse garbanzo beans placing everything into your serving bowl. Once orzo has cooled, add to the veggies.
  • Season with 1 tsp. salt and pepper each, red wine vinegar and drizzle of olive oil. Serve at room temperature or cool!
Keyword chicken salad, chopped, greek, mediterranean, orzo, pasta
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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    If I keep making these amazing recipes, I am going to up my game in the Mother’s Day gift category. Already the girls are calling it “Jackie’s famous chicken” Thanks for all of the tips on cooking top down, not a cold chicken, etc! I LOVE this…. keep sending them out! xo

    Reply