Enjoy a delicious chicken dinner accented with sun-dried tomatoes and sharp pecorino cheese, perfect for delighting the family. If you’re unsure what to make for dinner, try this easy-to-prepare one-skillet meal. You’ll sear chicken breasts until golden, then toast orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, in the tasty drippings. A splash of wine adds the perfect acidity before introducing chicken stock and sun-dried tomatoes. The dish simmers in the skillet until the orzo becomes creamy and the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Plus, it includes healthy greens. Stirring in baby spinach towards the end, and adding half-and-half, enhances the creaminess of this chicken orzo skillet dish.
Looking to save time? Swap the chicken breasts with rotisserie chicken. Begin by cooking the orzo with olive oil and, once done, add sliced rotisserie chicken on top. This recipe was developed by Marianne Williams.
To make this dish, grate half of a 2-oz chunk of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese and set it aside. Then, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and place in the skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Next, add 1 1/2 cups of orzo to the skillet and stir until toasted, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine, stirring to loosen any browned bits. Stir in 3 cups of unsalted chicken stock, 3/4 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon of salt, bringing to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, nestle chicken into orzo, and cook uncovered until the orzo absorbs most of the liquid and chicken reaches 160°F, 12 to 15 minutes. If orzo sticks, add up to 1 cup more stock, 1/4 cup at a time. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Add 3 cups of fresh baby spinach to the skillet, stirring until just wilted for about a minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of half-and-half and grated cheese. Slice the chicken, return it to the skillet, and shave remaining cheese over chicken and orzo. Optionally, top with freshly ground black pepper and basil leaves.
To reheat the leftovers, cover with a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave in 60-second intervals until the desired temperature is reached.
