Creamy Orzo With Chicken

Step 1

Prepare the chicken breast. Either pound the chicken down to about 1/2 inch thickness, or cut the breasts in half lengthwise so they are much thinner. Pat dry with a paper towel. Season generously with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. I give amounts in the recipe card below, but vary to meet your desired taste.

Step 2

Heat a large deep skillet to medium-high heat. Allow it to get nice and HOT. When the skillet has heated up add about a tablespoon of olive oil. When it is glistening, add the chicken to the skillet in an even layer.

Step 3

Sear chicken about 1-2 minutes per side, just enough to get a nice golden brown, crispy outside. Remove the chicken and set aside briefly.

Step 4

Shift the heat to medium. Add another light drizzle of olive oil to the pan and add the garlic cloves and stir for about 1 minute allowing it to become fragrant.

Step 5

Pour the white wine into the skillet and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping off any brown bits. Once skillet is deglazed, add the broth, Italian seasoning, and orzo to the skillet and stir.

Step 6

Bring the orzo to a light boil. When the orzo comes to a light boil, add the chicken back into the skillet and cover. Heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken has reached 165°F internal temperature and the orzo is al dente and a lot of the liquid has been absorbed. During this step, stir every few minutes just to make sure the pasta isn't boiling too much or sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it feels like it's a rolling boil, lower the heat slightly.

Step 7

Once chicken and orzo is ready, shift to low heat. Add the heavy cream, tomato paste, and parmesan. (You can remove the chicken from the pan to make stirring this a bit easier, but I just sort of shift things around.) Once creamy, add the spinach and stir into allow it to wilt.

Step 8

Remove from heat and serve!