Last week we quickly harvested the last of our summer garden just before the night temperatures plunged into the 30s. We had baskets full of fresh basil to process and share with friends. I chopped and froze a bunch of tomatoes, threw several in this dish, and our kitchen counters are still completely covered with more ripening tomatoes. With that much basil and all those tomatoes, I needed to do something with them, and fast. This easy recipe from the latest issue of Cooking Light hit the spot and was a hit with all my guys. It’s simply skillet cooked chicken cooked with orzo, tomatoes, spinach, and cheese.
This is a great recipe for improvisation and just using whatever you have in the frig. I didn’t have spinach as the recipe called for, so I used small peas instead. And since we have a large stash of our homegrown slow-roasted tomatoes, I used those instead of canned tomato paste, as well as some of the oil in which they are kept, which added an earthy flavor.
Recipe Notes
I now cook this recipe with gluten-free pasta, and you can find gluten-free orzo in some stores or online. I also use other small pasta or even quinoa.
If you prefer, whole wheat orzo is a good substitute.
The original recipe calls for feta cheese, which also tastes delicious with the basil and orzo.
Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Tomatoes
Equipment
- 4-quart pot with lid
- 5-quart nonstick skillet
Ingredients
- 10 cups water
- 16 ounces gluten-free orzo (or other gluten-free pasta)
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-size cubes)
- 4 cups Roma tomatoes (chopped)
- ½ cup slow-roasted tomatoes (or 3 teaspoons tomato paste)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 5 grinds of black peppercorns
- 3 cups baby peas (or spinach)
- 20 fresh basil leaves
- sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Preparation
- In the 4-quart pot, bring the water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the package directions, just until al dente. Do not overcook or it will be mushy. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid, and keep warm.
- While the orzo cooks, sauté the chicken pieces dry in the skillet until they are cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the tomatoes, slow-roasted tomatoes (or tomato paste), salt, crushed pepper, and reserved cooking liquid to the skillet. Cook over over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken, orzo, and the basil leaves, leaving in the skillet just until the basil wilts, about 1 minute. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.
Nutrition
More Easy Recipe with Pasta
More Easy Pasta Recipes From Other Blogs
- Sass & Veracity - Roasted Tomato Soup with Bacon, Cheese & Orzo
- Soup Chick – Beef and Escarole Soup with Mushrooms and Orzo
- Cookin’ Canuck - Healthy Mushroom, Orzo & Swiss Chard Soup
- Love & Lemons – Orzo & Arugula Salad with Lemon Thyme
[Disclosure: I am a member of the Cooking Light Bloggers' Connection.]
kristy @ the wicked noodle says
I love, love, love easy recipes like this that pack a ton of flavor but are quick, too! Gorgeous photos, as always!
Andrea says
Thanks Kristy, I am all about quick meals these days!
Grace Cordova says
Hi Andrea! I love your easy and quick to do recipes. I also love how you mix colors of ingredients making food not only taste good but they look good too. Thanks a lot!