[harpospeaking]

Summer officially ends on September 23rd in the US this year. I recently made one last summer salad for my family, and they devoured it. It's a crunchy and light chicken orzo salad that can be eaten cold and keeps well in the fridge. It's my last summer salad for the year before I move onto Fall comfort food.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients for dressing

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small handful of fresh basil, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Combine the first four ingredients above in a medium bowl. Slowly add olive oil and whisk to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Or make your own balsmic vinagrette recipe for about 1/2 cup of dressing.)

Ingredients for salad

1 cup of uncooked orzo pasta (about 6 ounces)
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
1 6-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
3 Tablespoons drained capers
3 cups of diced cooked chicken (from a 3 pound rotisserie chicken)

Cook orzo in a large pot of boiling salted water until cooked but still a little firm. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer the orzo to a large bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour in dressing and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.

Optional
Serve with crumbled feta and diced olives for a saltier taste.
Take out the chicken and you have a nice orzo side dish.

Extra: Save the rotisserie chicken carcass and make stock for your first Fall soup.
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"Help! Help! I'm being repressed!" --- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

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