This Chicken and Orzo recipe has an Italian flair by adding Broccoli Rabe to the chicken orzo. The dish takes about 20-30 minutes to prepare, and if you don’t want to chop vegetables, you can leave out the onions and peppers to have a 15-minute recipe. Orzo is the perfect pasta as it absorbs all the chicken broth, heavy cream, and grated parmesan cheese, creating a creamy, cheesy coating for the chicken and orzo.https://www.chefgiannicooks.com/recipes

To cook this Chicken Orzo recipe in 15-30 minutes, you may need to manage your time. You can marinate your chicken breasts in your favorite vinaigrette in the morning before starting your day. Then, when you are ready to cook, throw the chicken on the grill while you prepare the Orzo-Broccoli Rabe.

Broccoli Rabe, also known as Broccolini or Rapini, was my favorite vegetable as a kid. I still enjoy it sautéed in olive oil with garlic. It’s not as sweet as broccoli, but I enjoy its strong flavor paired with tangy garlic.

Chicken and Orzo Ingredients

• 2 8 oz Chicken Breast Fillets
• 1 cup Orzo
• 1 tbsp Red Pepper flakes More or less to taste
• ¼ cup Minced Onion
• ¼ cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper
• ¾ cup Chicken Stock
• 1 Bunch Broccoli Rabe
• Your Favorite Vinaigrette dressing for Chicken Marinade
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro for Garnish
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Fresh Minced Garlic
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Zest and Juice from 1 Lemon

Instructions

• Marinade Chicken Breasts in your vinaigrette. Refrigerate and marinate before you start your day
• To begin Toss the marinated chicken breasts on the grill. While the chicken is grilling lets make the Oro and Broccoli Rabe
• Heat up a large sa and saucepan. Drizzle the olive oil, add the onions, and Garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the Orzo and toast for a few minutes.
• Add enough Chicken stock to submerge (should be around ¾ cup) the Orzo. Toss the Broccoli Rabe and red bell pepper chunks on top. Add Zest and juice from 1 Lemon. Cover and let simmer around 7 minutes.
• Stir in the cheese and cream. Mix Thoroughly. By now your Orzo should be cooked and tender, and your Chicken should be ready.

Variations:

There are many variations to this recipe. One option is substituting the orzo with rice, but this extends the cooking time. Any vegetable that can be cooked al dente in about 10 minutes can be used. For example, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc. If you don’t feel like chopping vegetables, you can omit the red pepper and onions, use a garlic press for the garlic, and save 10 or 15 minutes off your cooking time. The last time I made this my guests felt it was too spicy. You may want to reduce the 1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes to half. One more suggestion might be the addition of cherry tomatoes, or sundried tomatoes while sauteing the vegetables. Not only add a little acidity, but the colors will enhance the presentation.