CHICKEN ORZO PASTA BAKE
An easy and quick one-dish meal with chicken, orzo, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, all ready to pop in the oven in 30 minutes! Perfect for a mid-week family dinner
RECIPE – Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts, halved – Smina Poultry
450g/15.9oz Orzo Pasta
1 Small Onion, finely diced
100g/3.5oz Fresh Baby Spinach
100g/3.5oz Sun-dried Tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Cup Double Cream (Heavy Cream)
3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
3 Tbsp Sun-dried Tomato oil taken from the jar of tomatoes
Fresh Basil, chopped for garnish
Squeeze of lemon juice before serving
Chicken Topping Sauce:
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
½ Tsp Dried Thyme
½ Tsp Cumin
½ Tsp Mild Chilli Powder
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
4 Tbsp Milk
Mix the first six ingredients in a small bowl, then stir in the milk.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
First prepare the chicken topping sauce.
Cut the top of each breast not all the way down diagonally then across again to make diamond shape cuts and set aside.
Scatter the orzo pasta all over the base of your baking dish.
Top with parmesan cheese, spinach, onions, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.
Drizzle the 3 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato oil on top, then pour over the chicken stock and cream and stir everything together.
Place the chicken on top and snuggle it slightly down in between the filling.
Spoon and brush the chicken sauce on top of the chicken and season everything with freshly ground pepper.
Cover the dish with foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked through.
Remove from oven, squeeze lemon juice on top and garnish with fresh basil.
Serve and enjoy!