Description
Mediterranean chicken and orzo brings comforting flavors from Greece straight to dinner tables with minimal effort. Simple ingredients blend beautifully, creating a delightful one-pan meal you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) boneless skinless chicken breast
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
Liquid and Broth:
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings:
- 3/4 lb (0.34 kg) orzo
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Craft the flavor foundation by whisking together a robust sauce combining chicken broth, half and half, bouillon, mustard powder, and seasonings in a spouted measuring cup. Meticulously prepare supporting ingredients: chop broccoli, mince garlic, and ready the chicken for culinary transformation.
- Transform chicken through strategic seasoning using salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Tenderize meat with a mallet, then sear in shimmering olive oil until golden, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Chicken need not be completely cooked during this phase.
- Elevate pan flavors by deglazing with white wine, allowing liquid to simmer while scraping concentrated culinary fragments from skillet surface. Alternative deglazing options include chicken broth with lemon juice.
- Develop sauce complexity by introducing butter and garlic, cooking until aromatic. Create a thickening roux by incorporating flour, then gradually integrate sauce mixture while continuously stirring to prevent lumping. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and allow gentle simmering.
- Simultaneously prepare orzo and broccoli in salted boiling water. Cook orzo slightly underdone, adding broccoli during final 3 minutes. Drain both ingredients concurrently.
- Finalize dish by melting cheeses into sauce until achieving creamy consistency. Incorporate orzo and broccoli, ensuring thorough integration. Reintroduce chicken to skillet, warming ingredients together. Allow sauce to reach desired thickness through patient simmering.
Notes
- Customize the protein by swapping chicken with tofu, shrimp, or turkey for variety in diet preferences.
- Dial down spiciness by reducing or omitting seasonings like mustard powder for sensitive palates.
- Create a gluten-free version by using cornstarch instead of flour and choosing gluten-free orzo or alternative pasta.
- Enhance meal prep by pre-chopping ingredients and making sauce ahead of time, saving precious cooking minutes during busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg