Chicken and Orzo With Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette
Published October 11, 2022
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 6 tablespoons oil from the jar
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large tomato, cut into ½-inch dice
1 pound orzo
1 (4-ounce) block feta, cut into ½-inch cubes
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
91 grams carbs; 132 milligrams cholesterol; 843 calories; 17 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 34 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 789 milligrams sodium; 43 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a food processor, blitz the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, the basil, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper until smooth. Transfer half of this vinaigrette to a medium bowl, add the chicken and turn to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- Step 2
While the chicken marinates, transfer the rest of the vinaigrette to a large bowl. Add the diced tomato and toss.
- Step 3
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain the orzo and transfer it to the bowl with the tomato; toss to combine.
- Step 4
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden on all sides and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken and all of its juices to the orzo. Add the feta and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate, covered, and enjoy cold for up to 4 days.
Private Notes
Comments
Very tasty! However, I think the amount of orzo should be halved - I increased the chicken to 1.5 lbs and the feta to 6 oz, but still the orzo swamped it completely. The photo illustrating this recipe is not the balance of ingredients in my experience. I'll make this again, but with 1/2 lb of orzo.
This is good! And easy. Makes enough for dinner for 3 & lunch for one the next day. Toasted pine nuts would make a nice garnish! I like the fact that it can be served cold, hot, or room temp- very versatile & unfussy.
Variation, not improvement: I was very interested in this recipe, so I made it with what I had on hand--tofu, not chicken. It worked pretty well. I added artichoke hearts and green olives to the mix to get body that I would lose without the chicken. Right call. Overall, very happy, and will prepare again. But, I look forward to trying the recipe with chicken soon, also.
Easy and and delicious. Definitely a keeper.
I’m confused by the sun-dried tomatoes. Does the recipe call for an 8 ounces jar? 8 slices of sun-dried tomatoes? If so, what size? Some jars have julienned tomatoes, some have halved. 8 whole tomatoes?
This recipe was devoured by my whole family, including two toddlers. I used closer to 1.5lb chicken, and extra tomato based on others’ comments and my own preference, but thought the marinade amount was just right. The one major modification I made was cooking the chicken first, removing to a serving bowl with the additional marinade/tomato, then adding the uncooked orzo back to the same pan. I coated the orzo in the oils left from cooking the chicken, then added about 3.5C hot chicken broth and cooked according to the package. The orzo absorbed all the liquid, including the flavor from the cooked/marinated chicken. I had some artichoke hearts and arugula on hand, so tossed in some of each to the serving bowl. Will absolutely be making again.