Wednesdays Unplugged – Pesto Chicken and Orzo Salad

“There’s nothing that makes you more insane than family. Or more happy. Or more exasperated. Or more . . . secure.”

― Jim Butcher, Vignette
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!

We took some time to head up to North Dakota for a family reunion… connected with family and my 93-year-old uncle who has lived his whole life on the farm. In spite of the cold and much needed pouring rain, it was fun showing our grandkids where we both grew up. The pictures above were taken in the church where we were married 52 years ago.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I’ve been on ‘vacation’ for a couple weeks so not cooking a lot, but made this salad recipe from Lunds & Byerlys to have on hand for a quick meal. Our son and his wife loved it.

PESTO CHICKEN AND ORZO SALAD

  • 2/3 cup pesto
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons salt
  • Pinch of freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 pound orzo pasta
  • 2 1/2 cups pulled rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 ounces baby spinach

DRESSING

In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, vinegar, the 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper gradually whisk in the olive oil until smooth.

ORZO

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons salt and the orzo. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Add the orzo to the vinaigrette dressing and toss to coat evenly.

SALAD

Add the chicken, tomatoes and spinach to the orzo and toss gently to combine, then serve.

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Written By

I love what I do! Highly insightful, analytical and creative, there is nothing I love more than helping you find the right solution for your real estate transition. My mission is to serve my clients with honesty and integrity, exceeding their expectations in service and support… and to help others by donating a portion of every transaction to Habitat for Humanity.

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