Seared Chicken & Orzo Salad w/ Roasted Cauliflower & Honey Mustard Dressing | Blue Apron

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Here's to my 2nd meal made with the remaining ingredients from my Blue Apron box. For this meal, I opted for the Seared Chicken & Orzo Salad with roasted cauliflower and honey mustard dressing.

FULL RECIPE:
Seared Chicken & Orzo Salad with Roasted Cauliflower & Honey Mustard Dressing

This Mediterranean inspired dish was surprisingly delicious. I say surprisingly because during the preparation phase, when I realised the dressing would be comprised of chopped shallots, mustard, vinegar, and honey, I thought that I surely would not be the biggest fan. Raw shallots and dijon mustard have such strong, distinctive flavours, so I was not quite sure how well they would work together, but the honey really transformed the flavour of the dressing; it was still a bit sharp, yet perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the honey. 

Another element that had me a bit weary was the addition of raisins to the orzo. I am honestly not the biggest fan of incorporating sweet elements into a savoury dish (hence my apprehension with the honey mustard dressing as well), but when all was said and done, it was the perfect marriage on a plate. 

This seared chicken and orzo salad dish was delectable and dare I use the word refreshing. It was not at all heavy, but left me feeling quite satisfied. I felt as though it was a perfectly balanced meal; I got my kale, got some cauliflower, a bit of protein, a little sprinkling of diary, some delicious carbs... (seems balanced to me).

I will, however, add that I enjoyed this meal much more while it was hot and fresh. Having some as leftovers the next day was not as enjoyable for me- everything got a bit too saturated in the dressing and after having it sit in the fridge overnight made everything sort of one texture (blehh). But I still enjoyed it nonetheless. 

Have you ever tried this dish before? Or something similar? How did you like it? Feel free to share some of your favourite Blue Apron recipes because I would love to know what to look out for before my next order!

xoxo

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