Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

This was only my second time trying orzo and I really like it. It's a lighter way to do pasta and doesn't leave you feeling weighed down like some other pasta. We didn't have the fresh marjoram so we just left it out. I didn't notice anything missing. The only other change I would make is either cut the artichoke hearts smaller or use a little less. I love artichoke hearts but they were a little overpowering to the other flavors in this dish. Thing 1 loved the "rice noodles" and gobbled them up so that puts a lovely "kid friendly" stamp on this one.  4.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 ounces orzo preferably whole-wheat
• 1 cup water
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), divided
• 1 plum tomato diced
• 1 clove garlic peeled
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram divided
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 4 boneless chicken breasts skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts thawed
• ¹⁄₂ cup finely shredded Romano cheese divided

Directions

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 457

Fat: 12 g

Cholesterol: 68 m

Carbohydrate: 54 g

Fiber: 10 g

Protein: 36 g