PARTNER POST — Grilling season is here and it is time to explore Italian grilling with authentic ingredients from Colavita.
Chicken, onions, asparagus, and zucchini are marinated, grilled, and tossed with orzo along with zesty sun-dried tomatoes, peppery arugula, fresh oregano, shaved parmesan, and finished with a drizzle of White Truffle Glace. It’s a bright summer salad worthy of celebration.
By Emily Nelson
It always feels so good to break out the grill after a long cold winter and this year I’m excited to be kicking off the season with this fresh salad incorporating an abundance of grilled vegetables and chicken. Something almost magical happens to the flavor of vegetables when they’re grilled. They take on a whole new character, and marinating them for just a short time deepens that flavor.
Both the vegetables and chicken were marinated in a vinaigrette using Colavita’s Chardonnay White Wine Balsamic Vinegar and Colavita’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The grilled chicken and vegetables are tossed with orzo along with zesty sun-dried tomatoes, peppery arugula, fresh oregano, shaved parmesan, and finished with a drizzle of Colavita’s White Truffle Glace. It’s a bright and stunning summer salad worthy of celebration and with so many colors, textures, and flavors, there is variety with every bite. Bring it to picnics, summer gatherings, or just enjoy for a quiet evening at home with the family.
Grill Like an Italian with Colavita: Orzo Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Chicken
Description
Chicken, asparagus, and zucchini are marinated, grilled, and tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, herbs, and White Truffle Glace for a bright salad.
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Colavita Chardonnay White Wine Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Colavita White Truffle Balsamic Glace
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad and Assembly
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 small zucchini, about 5 ounces each, quartered lengthwise into spears
- 1 small red onion, cut into ¼ inch circles, rings kept together
- 3 chicken breasts, about 1½ pounds total
- ½ cup Colavita sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces Colavita orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 4–6 cups arugula
- ½ cup shaved parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling on top
- extra Colavita White Truffle Balsamic Glace for drizzling, if desired
Instructions
Marinade
- In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients together until well combined.
- Place chicken in one sealable bag and the vegetables in another. Pour ? of the marinade over the chicken. Seal bag and evenly distribute marinade around chicken. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Pour the remaining marinade over the vegetables. Seal bag and gently tilt and flip the bag to distribute marinade, being careful not to separate the onion rings. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Salad and Assembly
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken, 8-10 minutes total, flipping halfway. Grill onions and zucchini, 5-6 minutes total, also flipping halfway. Grill the asparagus 2-3 minutes, rotating after a minute or two.
- Chop asparagus, zucchini, and onions into ½ inch pieces.
- Allow chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes after removing from heat. Use two forks to shred chicken into bite size pieces.
- While chicken is resting, whisk together the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chopped vegetables, shredded chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and shaved parmesan. Pour dressing over salad and use a wooden spoon to gently mix together. Add arugula and toss to incorporate. Serve immediately with extra parmesan and a drizzle of Colavita White Truffle Balsamic Glace, if desired.
Notes
To prepare ahead of time, assemble everything up until adding the dressing and arugula. Keep the dressing and arugula separate and toss together right before serving.
- Category: Salad, Side, Pasta
