Creamy Pesto Chicken & Orzo with Capers & Currants

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

18 oz Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces

½ lb Orzo Pasta

¾ lb Carrots

5 oz Baby Spinach

2 cloves Garlic

1 Tbsp Capers

2 Tbsps Dried Currants

½ lb Grape Tomatoes

⅓ cup Basil Pesto

¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

1 Prepare the ingredients Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Halve the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. In a bowl, combine the pesto and mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper.

2 Cook the vegetables In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the halved tomatoes and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

3 Cook the pasta & wilt the spinach Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Stir until wilted and thoroughly combined.

4 Cook the chicken Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the currants, capers, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat.

5 Finish the pasta & serve your dish To the pot of cooked pasta and spinach, add the cooked vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta topped with the cooked chicken. Drizzle with the creamy pesto. Enjoy!

1 Prepare the ingredients Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Halve the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. In a bowl, combine the pesto and mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper.

2 Cook the vegetables In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the halved tomatoes and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

3 Cook the pasta & wilt the spinach Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Stir until wilted and thoroughly combined.

4 Cook the chicken Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the currants, capers, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat.

5 Finish the pasta & serve your dish To the pot of cooked pasta and spinach, add the cooked vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta topped with the cooked chicken. Drizzle with the creamy pesto. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 660