Creamy Tomato Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo)
This dish was absolutely bursting with flavors & the lemon put it over the top.
Ingredients:
CHICKEN
2 chicken breasts, halved lengthways to make 4 schnitzels
1 tsp garlic, freshly minced
1 tsp Italian herb mix (or substitute with dried oregano)
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp salt flakes
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
RISONI
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup risoni/orzo (uncooked)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup thickened/heavy cream (see note below)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, plus extra to garnish
Directions:
In a shallow dish, combine the chicken with the garlic, Italian herb mix, sweet paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil. Use your hands if needed to ensure the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.
Heat a large, deep pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 8 minutes or until just cooked through, turning once halfway. Add 1/4 cup of water in the last 2 minutes of cooking to help deglaze the pan and lift all the delicious drippings. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
To the same pan, add the butter. Once melted, add the sun-dried tomatoes, risoni, chicken stock, thickened cream, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low so that it is bubbling gently. Cook for 10-12 minutes, uncovered, stirring regularly (see note 1 below for tips).
Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat. Stir through the spinach leaves and the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the pan to heat through (slice it first if desired), then cover and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes before serving (see note 2 for tips on how to get the perfect consistency).
Note: I actually bought a 32oz bottle of heavy cream, even though this recipe only calls for 1 cup of heavy cream, I poured a cup of heavy cream and set it aside, pour the rest of the heavy cream in my kitchen aid, and mixed until I made my own butter - see recipe here - Homemade Butter. Honestly, it is SO easy to make I highly recommend trying it!
