Lemon Basil Orzo & Chicken

Scale

1 pound orzo pasta

3 ½ cups of chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-1 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders or thin cut breasts

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon of dried basil

1 shallot, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ cup of dry white wine

1 tablespoon of salted butter

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Juice of one lemon

Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

In a medium-sized pot, bring broth to a boil; stir in orzo. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 8-10 minutes or until tender. If orzo finishes cooking before other ingredients are done, drizzle with a touch of olive oil and fluff so it doesn’t stick.
While orzo is cooking season chicken with salt, pepper, and dried basil. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan; keep warm.
In the same skillet that the chicken is cooking in, saute shallots until they begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add wine and butter simmer for about 5 minutes. Add butter.
Stir in orzo, lemon juice, red pepper, and fresh basil; remove from heat. Grate in desire amount of Parmigiano Reggiano. Return chicken to the pan. If desired, chicken can be chopped into cubes. Salt and pepper to taste.