Recipe: Lemon Chicken with Orzo

 

Lemon Chicken with Orzo

I made this last night for dinner and the girls said they liked it.  It was a perfect dish for our first nice spring day here in Oregon!

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1-1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• Lemon wedges, optional

• In a shallow bowl, mix flour and garlic powder. Cut chicken into 1-1/2-in. pieces; pound each with a meat mallet to 1/4 in. thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Dip both sides of chicken in flour mixture to coat lightly; shake off excess.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.
• In the same pan, bring broth to a boil; stir in orzo. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Stir in spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice, basil, and remaining salt; remove from heat. Return chicken to pan. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.