Creamy Tomato Chicken Orzo Recipe

Welcome to my blog where I post nutritional tips, debunk nutritional myths and post delicious and healthy recipes. What better way to kick the blog off with a recipe that perfectly balances flavour, convenience and nutrition? This creamy tomato chicken orzo dish is packed with protein, bursting with the richness of a creamy tomato base, carries two of your five a day and is very satisfying.

This recipe is suitable for busy people looking to feed a family, or people looking for delicious meals to prep that store easily for later in the week. It takes 30 minutes to prepare and makes 4 servings.

What's the macronutrient content per serving?

• Calories: 380kcal

• Carbohydrates: 49.4g

• Protein: 27.6g

• Fat: 13.4 (will be much lower if using low fat spread!)

• Fibre: 5.6g (higher with additional veggies on the side)

So, what ingredients do you need?

• Oil (1 tbsp)

• Chicken breast (400g/2 medium sized, diced)

• Onion (1 medium, chopped)

• Garlic (3 minced cloves, or 1 tsp paste)

• Orzo pasta (200g)

• Tinned, chopped tomatoes (1 400g can)

• Vegetable or chicken stock (~420ml)

• Spinach (100g fresh or frozen)

• Philadelphia (100g)

• Grated parmesan cheese (30g)

• Dried oregano (1tsp)

• Smoked paprika (1tsp)

• Lemon juice (1tsp, optional)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Now we have the ingredients together, let's get cooking!

Step 1: In a bowl, mix the diced chicken breast with a teaspoon of oil and some paprika until evenly mixed.

Step 2: Add the chicken to a frying pan and cook over medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly and lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step 3: Add another teaspoon of oil to the same pan and then add your onions and garlic to fry for 1-2 minutes.

Step 4: Add your orzo and toast for another 1-2 minutes.

Step 5: Add your tomatoes, oregano and some more paprika and your vegetable/chicken stock. Mix well and let this simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 6: After 5-6 minutes of the orzo simmering, add in the spinach and your chicken that you cooked in step 1. Let this cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked, adding water if needed.

Step 7: When the water has reduced and the orzo is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Add in the lemon juice and Philadelphia and mix in well to create a creamy sauce.

Step 8: Serve up and add some grated parmesan if you wish.

To add even more nutrients and flavours to this dish you could serve with peas, broccoli, a side salad or some roasted vegetables! Additionally, if you wish to take the chicken out you could add chickpeas in.

Let me know what you think of this recipe and what you pair it with!

For more delicious recipes like this one tune in to my future blog posts, or contact me to come work with me where I have many more!