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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Lemon Chicken Orzo-Style Spinach Grain Salad

Garlicky seared chicken over lemony couscous, tender spinach, sweet cherry tomatoes, cannellini beans and salty parmesan, with a bright lemon olive oil dressing.

Lemon Chicken Orzo-Style Spinach Grain Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 lb500 gChicken breast, boneless skinlesspounded to an even 3/4-inch thickness
  • 1 cup180 gCouscous, dry
  • 1¼ cups270 gWaterboiling
  • 5 cups loosely packed150 gBaby spinachroughly chopped
  • 1 cup177 gGreat northern or cannellini beans, canned, drained and rinsed
  • 1⅓ cups200 gCherry tomatoeshalved
  • ½ medium50 gRed onionthinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup grated30 gGrated Parmesan
  • ½ cup leaves12 gFresh basiltorn
  • ¼ cup50 gOlive oil
  • ¼ cup60 gLemon juice
  • 2 tsp4 gLemon zest
  • 2 cloves6 gGarlicminced
  • 2 tsp2 gDried oregano
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper

Steps

  1. Put the couscous in a large bowl, pour the boiling water over it, cover and let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spread out to cool slightly.
  2. Make the dressing: whisk the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, two-thirds of the olive oil, half of the salt and half of the black pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Season the chicken breast with the remaining half of the salt and the remaining half of the black pepper.
  4. Heat the remaining one-third of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken 5 to 7 minutes per side until it reaches 165°F (74°C) inside, then rest 5 minutes and slice.
  5. Add the spinach, great northern beans, cherry tomatoes and red onion to the couscous and toss with all of the dressing.
  6. Divide the salad among four plates, top with the sliced chicken, then scatter the parmesan and basil over each.

Contains: Milk, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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