Colorful Garlic Orzo

Rating: 4.2 stars
15 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 6
  • 4 star values: 6
  • 3 star values: 3
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0

This dish is fast, easy, colorful, healthy, and delicious! Don't skip the chicken broth; it adds essential flavor to the dish. I like mine extra garlicky and go for the full 6 cloves, but it's plenty flavorful with less. You can use just about any veggies or meat in this recipe and it will still be great. I use all frozen veggies so I only need to shop for tomatoes, and even those I could use canned if I feel lazy, making this a true from-the-pantry meal with no shopping required.

By Jenny Wadkins

Gallery
6 more images

Recipe Summary

prep:
15 mins
cook:
25 mins
total:
40 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 servings
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

6
Original recipe yields 6 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Bring chicken broth to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling broth, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; do not drain.

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  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir turkey in the hot skillet until crumbly and evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir garlic and red pepper flakes into turkey; cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, peas, carrots, orzo, and broth to the turkey mixture and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted and tomatoes begin to split, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Cook's Note:

I usually use a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes. This dish is very light but the garlic and red pepper flakes give it tons of flavor!

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
484 calories; protein 37.3g; carbohydrates 62.9g; fat 10.5g; cholesterol 87.2mg; sodium 782mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (12)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

cookingstar-la
Rating: 5 stars
01/19/2013
love this recipe! easy to substitute vegetables or pasta for your taste! I reduced ground meat to 1 pd and added 1 pd mushrooms which gave a more earthy flavor reduced sodium by using 2 cups broth and 1 1/2 cup water same great flavor! Read More
Helpful
(7)

Most helpful critical review

Robin Whitworth
Rating: 3 stars
10/15/2013
I tried this recipe as written. Even though I use quality turkey the end result was a "bleh" taste with a unpalatable texture. I think this recipe would do better without meat or perhaps leftover chicken rather than ground. I'm going to keep this recipe and give it a tweak with zucchini and some onion added for a meatless version. Read More
Helpful
(3)
15 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 6
  • 4 star values: 6
  • 3 star values: 3
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
cookingstar-la
Rating: 5 stars
01/19/2013
love this recipe! easy to substitute vegetables or pasta for your taste! I reduced ground meat to 1 pd and added 1 pd mushrooms which gave a more earthy flavor reduced sodium by using 2 cups broth and 1 1/2 cup water same great flavor! Read More
Helpful
(7)
oh2cook
Rating: 4 stars
03/26/2013
Used all veggies as recipe called but unfortunately cut the garlic in half. Found it better with added garlic salt. Will learn next time to keep garlic as indicated or even more. Didn't have cherry tomatoes so used 2 whole tomatoes cut up. Also added 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro white pepper & a bit of italian seasoning. Made a huge skillet full so looking forward to leftovers. Read More
Helpful
(3)
Robin Whitworth
Rating: 3 stars
10/14/2013
I tried this recipe as written. Even though I use quality turkey the end result was a "bleh" taste with a unpalatable texture. I think this recipe would do better without meat or perhaps leftover chicken rather than ground. I'm going to keep this recipe and give it a tweak with zucchini and some onion added for a meatless version. Read More
Helpful
(3)
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BW Williams
Rating: 4 stars
07/21/2014
Easy to make I even added a bit of Feta Cheese! Read More
Helpful
(1)
fawniz
Rating: 5 stars
01/30/2018
I made this to have our family try something different....WE ALL LOVED IT!! We used fresh not frozen....Switched out carrots & peas for yellow squash & zucchini....I sautéed all the veggies (except spinach) w/a little bit of extra virgin olive oil kosher salt & pepper before I put them in. my hubby & picky 18 yr old son went back for seconds!!! Read More
Wade & Angela Chancellor
Rating: 3 stars
09/11/2018
It was pretty good but what made it was putting a fried egg on top of our serving. I won't make it again. Read More
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cooking jack
Rating: 4 stars
06/24/2015
Everyone loved it. I used fresh shredded carrots & broccoli. The table added soy sauce and hit-sweet sauce making it Oriental! Read More
sweatintotheoldies
Rating: 5 stars
02/03/2016
So good! Made this tonight for my fella to try something different. Just added extra garlic and only used the ground turkey regular tomatoes black olives a little olive oil broccoli and a good amount of salt and pepper. Definitely a hit and will be great cold for lunch! Read More
AlainaJ
Rating: 5 stars
08/06/2014
Loved it!! I used homemade shredded rotisserie chicken.. It was lovely... Maybe could have cooked the orzo less - but that is a personal preference to how I like my pasta. Yum! Read More
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