Orzo with Chicken and Peas
By: B. Keefer
Published: Monday, October 3, 2011 - 4:32pm

Ingredients




1 pound boneless/skinless chicken (breasts, thighs whatever you like)
1 cup uncooked orzo
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 med onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded parmesan, divided
1T chicken bouillon
1T olive oil
1/2 T favorite seasoning mix (here's mine)
1t dried thyme

Preparation

1 Prepare your Orzo according to package directions adding the chicken bouillon to the water. 2 Remove fat from chicken and cut into bite sized pieces, season generously with seasonings of your choice. 3 Add olive oil to skillet and saute onions until translucent. 4 Add chicken and thyme and cook just until chicken is starting to brown but is not quite cooked through. 5 Add garlic and cook for just long enough to finish cooking chicken. 6 Add peas and cooked Orzo.  Stir to combine and heat through. 7 Add 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese to pan and stir. 8 Serve with remaining parmesan sprinkled over the top.

About

Orzo is one of those things I always forget I have.  When I do see it in the pantry I tend to stand there staring at it thinking "it's only for soups" when really, I guess it could be used to replace rice in just about any dish.
I love the texture and flavor it adds in place of rice.  It seems to elevate a dish from an everyday, plain ole rice dish.  To me anyway.  ;)