A simple and delicious one skillet chicken and orzo pasta dish for two. The ideal weeknight supper. You can have this on the table in less than 45 minutes.

If you’re anything like me you are always looking for delicious ways to serve chicken. I like chicken because it’s light, protein rich, relatively inexpensive, and safe to eat in the workplace (i.e., without the potentially offensive odor of seafood).

Know what else I like about this recipe? It’s a one-skillet dish and on the table in less than 45 minutes. Easy preparation, easy cleanup. As such, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner. Healthy, quick and easy. What’s not to love? If you want to make it even easier on yourself, trim and pound your chicken in advance so that it’s all ready to go when it’s time to cook. You will want to have chicken breasts that are roughly the same thickness so that they cook evenly.

One other thing that I personally love is that it uses spinach. As I’ve mentioned before, I love spinach! While you may or may not love spinach, it is a super food and intensely good for you. I hope that you will love this simple, quick and healthy dish as much as I do. Please let me know if you try it!

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:30

Total Time:40

Equipment

Skillet

Ingredients

3/4 cup orzo pasta
2 6-8 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed and pounded if necessary
1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cloves
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/4 tsp dried
1-1/4 cups chicken broth plus extra as needed
4 cups spinach
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
1-1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Toast orzo in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tsp oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken lightly 3-4 minutes per side; transfer to plate.
Add remaining 2 tsp oil, garlic, and oregano to now-empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and toasted orzo.
Tuck browned chicken into orzo, add any accumulated juices, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until internal temperature of chicken registers 160°F (71°C), about 10 to 12 minutes. Turn chicken over halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to serving platter, and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Continue to cook orzo until al dente and creamy, 2 to 5 minutes, stirring in additional broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to thin consistency. Stir in spinach, 1 handful at a time, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in feta and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with orzo.