Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes And Chicken

posted by Lyubomira on July 7, 2017
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Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes And Chicken – simple, nutritious and tasty weeknight meal, perfect for a quick family dinner.Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes and chicken

I keep saying that I struggle with breakfast ideas, but I’ve been having difficulty with dinner recipes. I never know what to cook. Often times, my days are so busy, that I don’t even have time to think about what I’ll be cooking.

Then I get tired and dinner needs to be cooked quickly. This is where dishes like this Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes And Chicken come in.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to cook. I just don’t always have the time to cook fancy dinner and make everything from scratch.

I’ve always loved Orzo pasta. I actually prefer it to rice. No, they are not interchangeable, but I’ve been cooking with Orzo a lot lately and leaving rice behind.

Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes and chicken, topped with feta and olives

Orzo cooks quickly. The rest of the ingredients for this Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes And Chicken cook pretty quickly, too. This dish is quick to make and still full of flavors and super delicious!

You get the idea – fresh, crunchy zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives (optional), feta cheese and perfectly cooked chicken breast. Another dish with a Mediterranean twist.

Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes and chicken, topped with feta and olives family dinner

The best part is the there is no sauce! By sautéing the zucchini with garlic in olive oil and then adding sun dried tomatoes, oregano and lemon juice, you create a light sauce which is perfect for this kind of pasta dish.

Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes and chicken

Oh no, this is not a “one pot recipe”! I know these recipes are super popular lately, but pasta needs to be cooked in a separate pot and drained, before you combine it with the veggies. This way the textures of the different components of the dish could be distinguished.

Weeknight dinner Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes and chicken

Weeknights shouldn’t be stressful! Everyone at home should be able to enjoy delicious dinner! Hope you like this Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes And Chicken Recipe.

 

Servings: 4

ORZO WITH ZUCCHINI, SUN DRIED TOMATOES AND CHICKEN

Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes And Chicken - simple, nutritious and tasty weeknight meal, perfect for a quick family dinner.
Orzo With Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes and feta, made in one skillet
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Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • two 6-7 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup olive oil — reserve 1 tbsp for cooking
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the pasta:

  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium zucchini — quartered and sliced thin
  • 1/4 tsp salt or more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves — pressed
  • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes — chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup Kalamata olives — pitted and chopped
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

FOR THE CHICKEN:

  1. If the chicken breasts are too thick, cut then in half horizontally, so they cook quickly and properly. Season with all ingredients, reserving 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until nicely browned and cooked through (165 F internal temperature).
  4. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

FOR THE PASTA:

  1. Cook Pasta according the directions on the package.
  2. In the mean time, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Be careful not to burn it.
  3. Add zucchini and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add oregano.
  4. Add sun dried tomatoes and cook for 1 more minutes.
  5. Add lemon juice.
  6. Stir in cooked and drained orzo. Top with Kalamata olives and feta cheese.
  7. Add cooked chicken on top. Serve.
Course: Main

Nutrition Information

Calories: 535, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 805mg, Potassium: 1480mg, Carbohydrates: 47g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 13g, Protein: 30g, Vitamin A: 620%, Vitamin C: 25.4%, Calcium: 150%, Iron: 3.8%

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posted in Mains, Pizza / Pasta
originally posted on July 7, 2017 last updated on April 26, 2020
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