Orzo Salad with Blackened Chicken and Marinated Fresh Mozzarella
Ingredients
Spice mixture- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 12 oz orzo pasta
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into thin filets
- 2 red peppers, cut into strips
- 1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into quarter pieces
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 12 oz BelGioioso Marinated Fresh Mozzarella Chili Pepper & Garlic cheese, reserving 4 Tbsp of oil from cup
- Pepper
- Marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
Directions
Combine spices in a small bowl, set aside.
Cook orzo in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Brush chicken filets with 1 Tbsp marinated oil. Rub spice mixture over all sides of filets to coat.
In a large skillet, cook chicken over medium/high heat until blackened and cooked to an internal temp of 165°, about 4-5 minutes per side. Let rest for about 5 minutes, then slice.
In a large skillet, add olive oil and sauté pepper over medium heat until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Season with a sprinkle of salt. Remove from heat, then sauté zucchini in the same skillet until slightly softened about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add remaining 3 Tbsp marinated oil to the bottom of a large serving bowl. Add cooked orzo, salt, pepper and toss to coat. Arrange chicken, red peppers, zucchini and artichokes atop orzo. Finish with Marinated Fresh Mozzarella cheese and serve.