Chicken & Sun-dried Tomato Orzo

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 ounces orzo pasta, preferably whole-wheat
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomato, divided (not oil-packed)
• 1 plum tomato, diced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 -2 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed or 9 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/2 cup finely shredded romano cheese, divided

Recipe

• 1 cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions; drain and rinse.
• 2 meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender.
• 3 blend until just a few chunks remain.
• 4 season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
• 5 heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil with crushed red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 6 add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
• 7 transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
• 8 pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil.
• 9 measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl.
• 10 add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese.
• 11 cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 12 divide among 4 plates.
• 13 slice the chicken; top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.