Orzo with Vegetables and Chicken

I found this recipe on Annabel Karmel’s site, though interestingly, the version in her video was different from the one written out underneath it. I decided to include the video ingredients, because it all looked better to me, then mixed both versions, and that is what’s written out below. This was delicious! My only change would be to increase the amount of chicken from 2 breasts to 4, to make more servings. The original recipe just said to cook them and slice them, but I seasoned them with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and I cooked them for 20 minutes at 425 °F – they were great! This dish gets 3 thumbs up (the Fox is still unsure about food in general, unless it’s pizza). 

1 red onion, in small cubes 

1 red bell pepper, in small cubes 

1 zucchini (75 g), in small cubes 

1 carrot (50 g), in small cubes 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tsp. sweet smoked paprika 

1 tsp. brown sugar 

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar 

1 cup orzo (125 g) 

2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable), hot 

1 cup passata (strained tomatoes) 

1 tsp. dried thyme 

10 cherry tomatoes (I used way more), halved 

2 to 4 cooked chicken breasts (see note above), sliced 

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and carrot and fry for a few minutes, until starting to get tender. 

Add the garlic, paprika, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and orzo. Stir to coat orzo in the mixture. Add the stock and passata. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is cooked. 

Add the thyme and tomatoes and stir until the tomatoes have softened slightly (I left them raw). Add the chicken (warm it up right in the pan if necessary) and serve.