This is a lovely alternative to rice. For those of you who say it is too bland here is what I do: use a deep skillet and sautee the garlic then add the orzo and chicken broth instead of water. Sautee the chicken separately with garlic and serve it on top.
I am only giving this 4 stars because I had to modify it just a little bit. I brought a small pot of chicken broth to a boil and cooked the orzo in that. I had planned to drain off any extra broth but it ended up soaking all in and making the orzo really nice and creamy. I sauteed the garlic and red pepper in olive oil then added the pieces of chicken. When the chicken was finished I added the orzo to it and stirred letting it sit on low heat for about 10 minutes. The result was YUMMY! My husband really liked it and has asked for it again. Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe because it's fast and delicious. We love strong flavors and the red pepper makes it great. I add at least 1 clove more of garlic plenty of salt and spice according to my taste that day. You can slant this recipe either Greek or Italian to your tastes. If going Greek add 1 tsp. oregano chopped Greek olives and crumbled feta (before serving) if desired. To swing it Italian add basil instead of oregano and serve with shredded parmesan. I've made this several times sometimes subbing diced Italian-style tomatoes when I don't have the spinach. Either way spinach or tomatoes you can't go wrong with this easy delicious recipe!
The recipe here was overall a great base. I took the suggestion of cooking the orzo in chicken broth and added oregano for my spice. I diced the garlic in order for the flavor to come out more (along with adding a few extra gloves in order to prevent any blandness). I went with tomatoes instead of spinach and found it was quite the hit. I served this with peas and corn which provided enough extra "color." It was a HUGE hit with my family; however my one caution would be to NOT overcook the orzo. I did that a bit and although it was still delicious that would have made a difference.
this was great with some changes. chicken broth for orzo. lemon juice and rosemary mixed in in the end.
Yummy! Very easy to make and full of flavor. I did find it a tad oily though so next time I will only use half the olive oil.
I loved this and will be making it again. I added cayenne as well as onion yellow pepper and a whole head of garlic. I first browned the orzo in oil then added the rest. I also browned the chicken first and set aside then added at the end. Used chick broth as well.
I picked 4 stars but wpuld have been closer to 3.5. It is not bland but a littel one dimensional. I added pepper. I would add more lemon and a bit of lemon zest next time. I agree that it was a bit oily. I would do 1.5 tbs next time.
People ask me to make this all the time! When I don't have fresh basil ground works fine. Diced tomatoes also taste good with this.
