Weekly Recipe: Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

This dish is perfect for these warm summer days we've been having because it's light and refreshing and doesn't leave you feeling like you need to go take a nap.  It can easily be made a day ahead, which is always a bonus in my book.  It's also fairly interchangeable, as I substituted the arugula with fresh broccoli.  I also omitted the onions because I didn't want them to overpower the dish.  I hope you'll give this one a try!

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese
adapted from Cooking Light

• 1 1/4  cups  uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 3  cups  chopped grilled chicken breast strips, about 2 breasts
• 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
• 1  cup  grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh basil
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh dill
• 3  tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  extravirgin olive oil
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  black pepper
• 6  tablespoons  (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 5 ingredients (through dill) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.