Zucchini, Risoni, Pea & Feta Salad with Lemon-Herb Chicken
A fresh and delicious dinner featuring grilled lemon-herb chicken with a vibrant zucchini, risoni, pea and feta salad. Serve the salad a side for entertaining, or add the chicken for a complete and satisfying meal.
Serves
4
Prep time
20 minutes
Cooking time
20 minutes
Helpful Tips
Storage
Store leftover chicken and salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The risoni salad can be enjoyed cold or brought to room temperature before serving.
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Substitutions
- Swap chicken thighs for breast fillets or tenderloins.
- Use brown rice, couscous, or quinoa instead of risoni.
- Try crumbled goat’s cheese in place of feta for a creamier texture.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and add grilled halloumi
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm or at room temperature with a squeeze of extra lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
Helpful Tips
Storage
Store leftover chicken and salad separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The risoni salad can be enjoyed cold or brought to room temperature before serving.
Substitutions
- Swap chicken thighs for breast fillets or tenderloins.
- Use brown rice, couscous, or quinoa instead of risoni.
- Try crumbled goat’s cheese in place of feta for a creamier texture.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and add grilled halloumi
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm or at room temperature with a squeeze of extra lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
Ingredients
For the Lemon-Herb Chicken:
- 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For the Zucchini, Risoni, Pea & Feta Salad:
- 1 1/4 cups (about 250g) dry risoni (orzo)
- 2 medium zucchinis (about 300g), shaved into ribbons
- 1 cup peas (fresh or thawed from frozen)
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp chopped fresh herbs (mix of parsley and mint)
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp honey
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 120 g feta, crumbled
Nutritional Information
(
per serving, based on
4
)
Nutrient
Amount
Calories
540
kcal
Protein
46
g
Carbohydrates
36
g
Fat
21
g
Fibre
4
g
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Directions
For the Lemon-Herb Chicken:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, paprika, parsley, mint, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. If time allows, cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, heat a BBQ or large grill pan over medium–high heat. Cook the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes while you prepare the salad.
For the Zucchini, Risoni, Pea & Feta Salad:
- Cook the risoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, drizzle with a little olive oil, and toss to prevent sticking.
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini into long ribbons. If they’re watery, spread on a clean tea towel for 5 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, Dijon, honey, olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini ribbons, peas, cooked risoni and spring onion. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to coat — the zucchini should soften slightly but still hold shape. Fold through half the feta.
To serve:
Transfer the salad to a platter and scatter over the remaining feta. Arrange the grilled chicken alongside or slightly over the salad. Serve and enjoy
Ingredients
For the Lemon-Herb Chicken:
- 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For the Zucchini, Risoni, Pea & Feta Salad:
- 1 1/4 cups (about 250g) dry risoni (orzo)
- 2 medium zucchinis (about 300g), shaved into ribbons
- 1 cup peas (fresh or thawed from frozen)
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp chopped fresh herbs (mix of parsley and mint)
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp honey
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 120 g feta, crumbled
Nutritional Information
(
per serving, based on
4 servings
)
Nutrient
Amount
Calories
540
kcal
Protein
46
g
Carbohydrates
36
g
Fat
21
g
Fibre
4
g
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a general reference only. Actual values may vary. This is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Directions
For the Lemon-Herb Chicken:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, paprika, parsley, mint, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. If time allows, cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, heat a BBQ or large grill pan over medium–high heat. Cook the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes while you prepare the salad.
For the Zucchini, Risoni, Pea & Feta Salad:
- Cook the risoni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, drizzle with a little olive oil, and toss to prevent sticking.
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini into long ribbons. If they’re watery, spread on a clean tea towel for 5 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, Dijon, honey, olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini ribbons, peas, cooked risoni and spring onion. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to coat — the zucchini should soften slightly but still hold shape. Fold through half the feta.
To serve:
Transfer the salad to a platter and scatter over the remaining feta. Arrange the grilled chicken alongside or slightly over the salad. Serve and enjoy
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