If you need a quick dinner idea that feels kinda fancy but takes almost no effort, let this Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Salad be your weeknight hero.

It’s fresh, zesty, hearty…and makes me feel like my life is together and I’m healthy. Love this for me.

We got juicy chicken thighs, tangy tomato-basil feta, fresh cherry tomatoes, and of course: a hit of lemon and olive oil to pull it all together. Check it out below!

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 4 small to medium chicken thighs
• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup feta cheese crumbles (Tomato-basil feta is chef’s kiss if you can find it)
• ⅓ red onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• Fresh lemon juice
• Seasonings: oregano, salt, fresh cracked pepper, cumin — follow your heart on the amounts
• Optional: chopped cucumbers for extra crunch (highly recommend!)

How to make it:

Season & Sear Chicken: Season the chicken with salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Sear in a cast iron skillet until mostly cooked through, then cube it up and toss it back in the skillet for another 2–3 minutes.

Boil the Orzo: Boil 4 quarts of salted water and cook the orzo for about 12–14 minutes — you want it tender but not mushy.

Chop & Toss: While the chicken and orzo are doing their thing, halve your cherry tomatoes, chop about a third of a red onion, and toss them in a big bowl with the tomato-basil feta. Set aside in fridge.

Bring It All Together: Toss orzo and chicken into the tomato-onion-feta bowl. Hit it with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of oregano, and salt to taste. I’m light on the seasoning here because the chicken will be bringing more than enough to the dish!

Eat it warm or store it in the fridge for a meal-prepped lunch that’s actually exciting to bring to work. Easy peasy!