Creamy Tomato Chicken Orzo (HC)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 chicken breast, diced
• Pinch of black pepper, to taste
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 ½ tsp Italian herbs
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• ½ red pepper, chopped
• 80g courgette, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 heaped tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 7 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 120ml chicken stock
• 60g orzo pasta
• 1 heaped tbsp cream cheese
• A handful of fresh spinach, chopped (or 1-2 blocks frozen, defrosted)
• Portion of salad or vegetables of your choice

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Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced chicken breast, season with black pepper, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¾ tsp italian herbs and ¾ tsp paprika.

2. Sear until golden on the outside (does not need to be fully cooked through). Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add a touch more oil if needed. Sauté the onion, red pepper and courgette in the remaining cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic, Italian herbs and paprika. Season with black pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.

4. Stir in the tomato purée, worcestershire sauce and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.

5. Pour in the chicken stock and stir in the orzo. Bring to a simmer and add the chicken, then cover and cook on low heat for about 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender and the liquid mostly absorbed. If the mixture becomes too thick or starts to stick, add a splash of water to loosen it.

6. Do a final taste test and add more seasoning if needed. It may need a bit more cayenne, paprika, italian herbs, onion powder and/or garlic powder.

7. Once the orzo is cooked, stir in the cream cheese and spinach. Serve once the spinach has wilted.

8. Serve with salad or vegetables.

Dinner

Serves: 1