Chicken with Feta Orzo

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1/2 of dish

This is a beautifully basic chicken dish. It’s simple and easy to make but has a richness in flavor. It has minimal ingredients but fills you up, gives you a good amount of protein, vitamin A and iron. Hope you add it to your next weeks menu! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup orzo
• 2 (6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 cup low sodium chicken both, plus extra as needed
• 4 cups (4 ounces) baby spinach
• 2 ounces (1/2 cup) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Toast orzo in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in now empty skillet. Add chicken to skillet, brown, about 4 minutes per side, transfer to plate, cover with aluminum foil.
3. Add remaining olive oil, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes to now empty skillet, combine well. Stir in broth and toasted orzo, let simmer, covered for about 5 minutes.
4. Nestle browned chicken into orzo, adding any accumulated juices, and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 165 degrees, about 15 minutes; flip chicken half way through.
5. Place cooked chicken on serving plate, brushing an orzo that sticks to chicken back into skillet; tent chicken with foil.
6. Continue to cook orzo until al dente, about 5 minutes. If needed for consistency, stir in additional chicken broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in spinach, 1 cup at a time, until wilted. Stir in feta and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve chicken with orzo, enjoy!

Nutrition Information:
Per serving: Calories: 433; Total Fat: 16g;  Cholesterol: 113mg; Sodium: 519mg; Total Carbohydrates: 24g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 4g; Protein: 50g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 367; Vitamin A: 111%; Vitamin C: 31%; Calcium: 21%; Iron: 17%

Adopted from: America’s Test Kitchen (2014). “Chicken and Orzo with Spinach and Feta” The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook. Boston: America’s Test Kitchen, 2014. 123. Print.