I wasn’t 100% sold on this dish as I was cooking it — but it was a real winner! The flavors are simple, but come together beautifully. I chopped the chicken and mixed it with the orzo, but you could plate it with a whole chicken breast to make it a little fancier 🙂
Herb-Rubbed Chicken with Creamy Orzo
8 oz. orzo pasta, uncooked
2 chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 pieces total)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence (I made a homemade version here)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped (I used onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
– Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil.  Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.  Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
– Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Â Sprinkle evenly with the Herbes de Provence.
– Heat the olive oil in a 12- or 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken breast halves to the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan and sautĂ© 2-3 minutes.
– Add the garlic and sautĂ© an additional minute, until fragrant.  Add the diced tomatoes with juices and the broccoli florets to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer over medium-low.  Cover and let cook until the broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
– Stir in the cooked orzo, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Â Mix until well blended and the cheese has melted.
– If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to smooth out the sauce. Â Season to taste with salt and pepper.
– Serve immediately.
