Lemon Basil Orzo with Chicken
Our Littlest literally begs for slivers of lemon to nibble on, straight up. No sugar, no nothing. A kitchen of lemons equals a candy store to him. I exaggerated, but he does gobble up lemons.
Then there’s The Bulldog who falls for anything that falls on the ground, but quickly spits out any accidental lemon offering.
Meanwhile, all of us are crazy about this Lemon Basil Orzo with Chicken.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve cooked orzo, now’s the time to rekindle that flame. Orzo is quite possibly the most fun pasta there ever was. It looks like a grain, but it’s just baby pasta.
Paired with a zesty bright lemon sauce, plenty of garlic, basil, and tender chicken to create a ridiculously fantastic meal.
LEMON BASIL ORZO WITH CHICKEN
PREP TIME
20 mins
COOK TIME
20 mins
TOTAL TIME
40 mins
INGREDIENTS
- ½ lb dry orzo pasta
- 2 lbs chicken breast tenders
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 TB salted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup freshly torn basil leaves
- Garnish: Lemon wedges, more parmesan, extra basil leaves
DIRECTIONS
- In a pot of generously salted water, cook orzo just until al dente; don't overcook. Drain and toss with about 2 TB olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep warm.
- While pasta is cooking: pat dry the moisture from chicken tenders with paper towels. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Sprinkle evenly on both sides of chicken pieces.
- In a large skillet (not non-stick) add 4 TB olive oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, cook chicken tenders just until no longer pink in center, about 2-3 min per side (depending on thickness of chicken.) Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.
Full Recipes>>Lemon Basil Orzo with Chicken