This Grilled Chicken and Asparagus is the perfect healthy and delicious weeknight meal. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s a flavorful dish the whole family will love.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
We all love a good grilled chicken recipe, but this Grilled Chicken and Asparagus with Orzo stands out for a few reasons:
- Healthy and Flavor-packed: The combination of lean chicken breast and asparagus makes this dish a healthy protein and veggie-packed meal. It's incredibly satisfying without being heavy.
- Versatile: This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a weekend cookout. It's simple enough to make regularly but impressive enough to serve to guests.
- Easy to Make: The recipe may look a bit long, but that’s because we've included every detail to ensure your success. Plus, the components of the dish are simple and quick to prepare.
- Perfectly Grilled Asparagus: The method for grilling asparagus is simple, and it imparts a delicious charred flavor to the asparagus. You can also try grilling other veggies using this method.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Breast - The star of our dish, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are rich in protein. We marinate them with cumin, smoked paprika, paprika, chili powder, and salt for a burst of flavor.
- Orzo - We use orzo, a small rice-shaped pasta, to add a unique texture to our dish. It's cooked in chicken broth and seasoned with chopped parsley and dill.
- Asparagus - Asparagus not only adds a pop of color to our dish but also brings a delicious, slightly nutty flavor. We grill them with a simple seasoning of olive oil, garlic, and salt.
- Greek Yogurt Sauce - Our Greek yogurt sauce is the perfect creamy, tangy accompaniment to the dish. It's flavored with Dijon mustard, garlic powder, fresh parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Protein: If you're not a fan of chicken, feel free to substitute it with turkey cutlets, or even thin slices of pork tenderloin. If you prefer a vegetarian option, marinated and grilled firm tofu or tempeh would work great as well.
- Orzo: Orzo can be substituted with quinoa, couscous, or even your favorite pasta.
- Other Greens: This salad is very versatile. You can add other vegetables and greens, like arugula or spinach. Try adding a sprinkle of feta cheese for extra tanginess.
How to Make Grilled Chicken and Asparagus
Step 1: Preheat the grilling pan over medium-high heat and brush each chicken breast with olive oil. Combine spices and salt, then rub onto the chicken. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes on each side.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine orzo, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff the orzo with a fork and stir in chopped parsley and dill.
Step 3: Brush asparagus with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, and salt. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. Chop the asparagus and combine it with mixed greens in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season to your liking.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
What to Serve with Grilled Chicken and Asparagus
Vegetables
- This dish is already packed with asparagus, but if you’re looking to add even more greens to your plate, a vinegret salad or a fresh cucumber red onion salad would be a great addition.
- Asparagus pairs well with a variety of other vegetables, so feel free to grill some zucchini, bell peppers, or even some corn on the cob to serve alongside the chicken.
Potatoes
- Potatoes are a classic side dish for grilled chicken. Try serving this dish with some crispy roasted potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, or even some potato salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. They cook evenly and quickly, making them perfect for grilling. If you prefer other parts of the chicken, you can also use boneless thighs or tenderloins.
Yes, it's important to preheat the grill pan. This ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and gets those beautiful grill marks. Let the pan heat for at least 5 minutes on medium-high heat before you start grilling.
The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C). You can check this using an instant-read food thermometer. Once it reaches the right temperature, remove it from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe
Grilled Chicken And Asparagus With Herbed Orzo
Ingredients
For Grilled Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
For Orzo
- ½ cup orzo
- 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and dill
- 4-5 cherry tomatoes halved, for garnish
For Grilled Asparagus Salad
For Greek Yoghurt sauce
- ½ cup Greek yoghurt
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For Grilled Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Lightly brush your grilling pan with olive oil and put it on medium-high heat. Let it heat for at least 5 minutes.
- Brush each chicken breast with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. In a small bowl, combine all spices for chicken and salt and finely rub into chicken.
- Place chicken on a grill and let it cook for 5 minutes. Don't try to move chicken while it cooks. Using tongs, flip chicken to the other side and cook for 5 more minutes. Transfer chicken together with a grilling pan into the oven and cook it for 5 more minutes or until an instant food thermometer reads 165 F. Remove from the oven let it rest.
For Orzo
- Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan combine orzo, broth and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until all liquid is absorbed and orzo is cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff orzo with a fork and stir in chopped parsley and dill.
For Grilled Asparagus Salad
- Finely brush trimmed asparagus with a mixture of 3 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic and salt. Place it on a grilling pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until soft and charred. Remove from the heat and chop the asparagus into 3 pieces.
- In a medium bowl, combine grilled asparagus, mixed greens and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season to a taste.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Yoghurt Sauce recipe is adapted from Health magazine April 2017 issue
Nutrition
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
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