Lemon chicken with creamy spinach orzo

[RECIPE] Lemon chicken with creamy spinach orzo

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[INGREDIENTS]4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
½ tsp paprika
2 tsp Italian herbs / Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
For the creamy spinach orzo
300 g (10.5oz) orzo pasta
200 g (7oz) baby spinach washed and dried
2 tsp crushed garlic
½ cup mascarpone
½ cup pasta cooking water (reserved from the orzo)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
lemon to taste
fresh basil for serving

[RECIPE]

1.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. (Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain the orzo. Set aside.)
2.) Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and set aside.
3.) Place the chicken on a chopping board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. With a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten the chicken out slightlyto approximately 1-2 cm (½in) thickness.
4.) Place the chicken in a bowl or zip top bag and pour over the marinade. Allow to marinade for a few minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
5.) Heat a large pan over medium-high heat then add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.  
6.) In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the baby spinach and garlic and allow to cook until the spinach has wilted.
7.) Add the mascarpone and a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Stir until a smooth, creamy sauce develops.

8.) Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
9.) Add the cooked orzo and add more of the pasta cooking water if necessary. Top with the cooked chicken and fresh basil then serve. 

10.) ENJOY!

Get these boring weekn night dinners out of here. Today we’re making some lemon chicken with a creamy spinach orzo and it’s absolutely amazing. The first thing we’re going to do is make a marinade for the chicken and it’s pretty simple. All it’s going to consist of is all the seasonings listed on screen along with lemon juice, olive oil, and sliced garlic. We’ll let our chicken marinate until you lose patience. Then we’ll cook it in a large oiled pan for around 3 to 4 minutes on each side. From here, in the same or a different pan, we’ll cook some baby spinach along with some garlic. We’ll then mix in some marsapone along with some pasta water. Finally, all that’s left to do is add some salt and pepper, lemon juice, and parmesan. And finally, finish it off with that orzo. I’ll have the full recipe below.