I have recently come to love and appreciate orzo. So much so that I am going to buy the bulk, and I mean BULK container next time. It is such a simple pasta to add to soups, pasta salad, main dishes, side dishes, etc. It is very versatile. The size of rice makes it cook quickly. I just love it. I also LOVE sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese. So this recipe is a win for me. Soooo tasty with most of the Italian flavors I crave. Mmmm…. If you love those things too you should definitely give this quick easy Creamy Italian Orzo with Chicken recipe a try. If you are just needing a delicious side dish simply leave out the chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil or oil from the sun-dried tomatoes (for extra flavor)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup dried orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach or 1/2-1 cup frozen baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or 1-2 tsp dried basil, to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil, cool and shred chicken.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat add oil, butter and onion. Sauté until onion is translucent.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. This will infuse the orzo with the flavors.
- Add broth and cream. Once it starts to bubble turn heat down to medium and cook approximately 10 minutes stirring often.
- Once the pasta is done take the skillet off the heat and stir in spinach, parmesan and basil. Cover and let set for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened up just a bit.
- Toss the chicken in and season with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!