Baked chicken breasts cook in the oven while you mix together a Mediterranean salad--packed with veggies, whole-wheat orzo and an easy homemade Greek vinaigrette--for a weekend-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. The leftovers from this healthy 400-calorie meal make a delicious packable lunch for the next day.
Ingredients
2 eaches skinless, boneless chicken breasts (8 ounces each), halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
¾ cup whole-wheat orzo
2 cups thinly sliced baby spinach
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2Brush chicken with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 3Meanwhile, bring a quart of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add orzo and cook for 8 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 1 minute more. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add cucumber, tomato, onion, feta and olives. Stir to combine.
Step 4Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir all but 1 tablespoon of the dressing into the orzo mixture. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the chicken and serve with the salad.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/2 Chicken Breast & 1 Cup Orzo Salad Per Serving: 402 calories; protein 32g 64% DV; carbohydrates 28.3g 9% DV; dietary fiber 6.4g 26% DV; sugars 2.8g; fat 7.5g 12% DV; saturated fat 3.5g 18% DV; cholesterol 91.1mg 30% DV; vitamin a iu 1744.1IU 35% DV; vitamin c 15.8mg 26% DV; folate 51.5mcg 13% DV; calcium 84mg 8% DV; iron 1.1mg 6% DV; magnesium 55.9mg 20% DV; potassium 645.7mg 18% DV; sodium 512.7mg 21% DV; thiamin 0.2mg 17% DV. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Lean Protein, 2 1/2 Fat, 1 1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable