creamy corn orzo with cajun chicken

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

SERVES: 4

Protein

• 4 chicken breasts

Milk & Dairy

• 1/2 cup cream cheese

• 1 tbsp butter

Pantry

• 1 1/2 cup orzo

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp thyme

• 1/2 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, divided

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Produce

• 4 ears corn, cooked (about 2 cups)

• 1 jalapeno

• 1 shallot

• 2 cloves garlic

• Chives for garnish

pre-recipe prep

• Cook and shuck your corn

• Dice your shallot and jalapeno

• Mince your garlic

1. Cook your chicken. Note: I prefer to use a nonstick pan for this recipe (I use my Hexclad) as I've found the orzo sticks a lot more to a stainless steel or cast iron and it gets messy.

   Mix your cajun seasoning: 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. Pound chicken into even thickness or butterfly, and sprinkle with seasoning.

   Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add chicken to pan and cook through (about 4-6 minutes per side).

2. Start your orzo. Wipe your fry pan clean with a paper towel and reheat over medium heat (you can skip this just know your orzo will be brown - nothing wrong just not as aesthetic). Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Once melted, add minced shallot with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until transluscent. Add in 1/8 tsp cayenne and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then add 1 1/2 cups orzo. Toast orzo for about a minute, then add 4 cups chicken broth. Stir well and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so so it doesn't stick to the pan. If it's starting to look too dry before it's done, add water 1/4 cup at a time).

3. Finish up. Once orzo is al dente, turn down heat and add 1/2 cup cream cheese and diced jalapeno. Mix well until cheese is melted in. Mix in corn and let cook for 1 minute. Taste and add more salt if needed and again, add more water if it's starting to dry out too much.

   Serve with sliced chicken and finish with chives.

---

Questions? Drop a comment below if you have any questions, and don’t forget to let me know if you make it!