Chicken, Mushroom and Roasted red pepper Orzo pasta

As I said before, we have been on an Orzo pasta kick lately. I love one pot meals and you can pretty much add any veggies you want to customize the taste. My family gobbled this down and next time I will double to recipe for leftovers!!!

2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
1/2 lb of orzo, cooked per instruction
1 can chicken broth
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, diced (can use canned, or roast your own)
 
Cook the orzo in water along with the can of chicken broth, per instructions.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped onion, mushrooms, and thyme; sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the chicken, sea salt, garlic salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then sauté 7-8 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through; add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove skillet from the heat then add the cooked orzo, roasted red pepper, parmesan and parsley to the chicken mixture and toss. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if needed. .

Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Pasta, and Parmesan Cheese

I was browsing through some of my favorite foodie blogs the other day and found this skillet meal on "My Kitchen Cafe". She happens to love skillet meals (as do I). I mean what could be better than a delicious meal made all in one pot???? This one is a keeper and will be adorning my table frequently from now on!!!





Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Pasta, and Parmesan Cheese
(from My kitchen cafe)

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces ziti (penne makes a great substitution – I’ve used both with great results)
4 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4-5 cups broccoli florets (depending on how much broccoli you want)
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (asiago was the cheese in the original recipe and can be interchanged, but I always have parmesan on hand so I used that)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the pasta, 3 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add Broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, and 1 1/2 c water and cook 2-3 minutes. Uncover and return heat to medium high. Stir in cream, parmesan, and reserved chicken and continue to simmer, uncovered until sauce is thickened and chicken is warmed through. Off the heat stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper. Serve.