Chicken and Bacon Burgers with Fried Egg

I love a good chicken burger. My all-time favorite are these Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo, but I was looking for something a little different. I've had my eye on Elly's Chicken and Pancetta Burgers with Fried Egg for awhile, but I've been putting off making them until I planted my rosemary. I finally got that done recently so these went straight on the menu.

I decided to sub bacon for the pancetta because we always have bacon in the house. The flavors were a tad smokier but that was alright by me. I love the smell of fresh rosemary that permeates the whole burger - so good. And you can't go wrong topping anything with a fried egg. Such a decadent touch. SP opted to enjoy his without the egg but Baby Girl, a child after my own heart, was adamant about having an egg.

This is a messy sandwich but so, so good. The gooey cheese and the flavorful patty combined with the fried egg and peppery arugula made for a delicious sandwich. Baby Girl, sadly, wasn't a fan of the arugula (too spicy, she said) but polished off the rest of her burger. I'm already salivating thinking about the leftovers for lunch.

Oh and get used to seeing a photo that includes Baby Girl's portion. She's VERY big on being included on the blog right now and, really, how adorable is that?

Chicken and Bacon Burgers with Fried Egg
Slightly modified from Elly Says Opa, adapted from Nigel Slater’s The Kitchen Diaries

4 oz. bacon (or pancetta), diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
1 lb. ground chicken
Salt and pepper
4 slices provolone cheese
4 eggs
4 buns or rolls, split and toasted
Mayo
Arugula

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until starting to brown at the edges. Add the onion, cooking until translucent. Add the garlic and rosemary. Continue cooking until the bacon is golden brown. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Once cooled, add the mixture to the ground chicken, along with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly mix everything together and form into 4 patties. Let the patties sit for about half an hour on the counter, or for longer in the fridge.

Wipe out the skillet and place it over medium heat. Add the patties to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 4 minutes. During the last minute, add a slice of cheese to each burger and let it melt. Remove the patties from the skillet.

Crack the eggs into another small skillet and cook to your liking.

To serve, Place a burger patty and a fried egg on each roll.

Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Corn Salsa

Ever have one of those days where you're super excited to make dinner only to discover you're out of one of the main ingredients? In my case I was all set to make this Chopped Chicken Taco Salad with Cheese Quesadilla Strips when I discovered the bag of Romaine hearts I thought I had in the fridge was actually half a heart that I needed for another recipe anyway. Oops.

It ended up being a happy accident, though, because these Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Corn Salsa were born. And that's a very, very good thing.

Really all I did was keep the recipe the same but instead of making it into a chopped salad I took the grilled chicken and added it to the quesadillas. Then I turned the rest of the salad ingredients into a corn, tomato and avocado salsa reminiscent of this grilled corn salad we all absolutely love. Win-win all around.

Once again Baby Girl asked if I'd photograph her plate, too. This kid, she kills me with the cuteness. Also note, see how she has one triangle of quesadilla on her plate? Yeah, she ended up loving these so much she ate one of my triangles and one of SP's for a total of 3 pieces (aka almost an entire quesadilla to herself). Must be a growth spurt coming on...

Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Corn Salsa
Inspired by How Sweet It Is

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise and trimmed of fat

cooking spray
4 burrito-size tortillas
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup sweet corn
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive olive
1 lime, juiced

The night before (or a few hours before) combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper in a large plastic food storage bag. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium-heat heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool for a few minutes, then cut into chunks.

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add a tortilla and cook both sides until they're spotty brown. Combine the shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar, then add 1/4th of the cheese and 1/4th of the chicken chunks. Fold the tortilla in half and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken. Cut each quesadilla into triangles.

Combine the avocado, corn, tomatoes, and onion in a bowl, then toss with the salt and pepper. Add olive oil and lime juice, tossing well to coat. Season to taste and serve on top of the quesadillas.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

I love pasta. SP loves pasta. Baby Girl loves pasta. That said, we eat pasta at least once a week in this house. I'm always on the lookout for new recipes and after seeing various versions of this Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta I decided to go to the source and see what we were missing.

This came together so quickly Baby Girl and I were scrambling the finish mixing the cheese and seasonings before the pasta and asparagus finished cooking. It took some tweaking to get the seasonings right - this needed a generous amount of salt and pepper to bring out all the flavors, plus a healthy dose of lemon juice. The pasta water really helped thin out the sauce and make it extra creamy. I ended up adding a full 8-oz log of goat cheese because, well, I'd already opened the package. I also added a fried egg to my lunch the next day - heavenly. So delicious and creamy, with a nice bite from the goat cheese and zing of the lemon juice. It tickles me that Baby Girl enjoys things like goat cheese - she was helping me crumble the cheese and then licked her fingers to get every last bit off.

A note about the above photo - Baby Girl has seen me take pictures of my food since I started cooking and blogging again after she was born. During the months when I'm able to take advantage of natural light I go out on the porch to take my photos. The night we made this, Baby Girl insisted on bringing her own bowl outside so I could photograph her portion. My heart melted.

What a perfect, easy weeknight meal. I've seen people sub spinach for the asparagus but I'm a sucker for those spears.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta
As seen on Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit

1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, thyme or basil) plus more for garnish
1 8-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese (the pre-crumbled stuff will not melt as well)
Salt and pepper
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water. Three minutes before the pasta is done (according to the package directions) add the asparagus and cook until firm-tender. Drain both pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, thyme (or herb of choice) and goat cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you put it in. Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the bowl, along with some of the pasta water. Toss until combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Keep adjusting the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot or room temperature.

Recipe Swap: Champagne Chicken Pasta

I didn't get carded when I bought the champagne for this recipe. I have to admit, I was a little bummed. Now granted, I'm more than a decade past being underage...but I digress.

When I got Caroline's blog for the last Blogger's Choice swap this Champagne Chicken Pasta was one of the finalists in the long list of recipes I wanted to make. I was really excited that she submitted it for the Cooking/Baking with Alcohol swap so I had an excuse to make it.

We all enjoyed this. I never think to use angel hair but it's one long pasta SP actually likes. The man doesn't enjoy spaghetti, I think he's crazy. The sauce is light and flavorful and it all comes together very quickly. Next time I'll add a bit more cheese to the chicken because I couldn't really taste it. I also subbed thyme for the tarragon because SP isn't a big fan of tarragon.

Initially I was worried about the price of the champagne, but the nice man at the liquor store steered me toward an inexpensive bottle. It worked well in the recipe but wasn't exactly drinkable, unfortunately. I'd look for some mid-range next time because you only need 1/2 - 1 cup so there's a lot leftover to drink and it was a shame to waste it. SP also thought a regular white wine would work well, although the name of the dish is champagne chicken pasta so I feel like champagne is kinda, sorta necessary.

I didn't realize this would only make enough for three portions plus some for Baby Girl, so double it if you want more leftovers.

Champagne Chicken Pasta
As seen on The Barbee Housewife
Serves 2-3

8 oz. pasta, angel hair or fettuccine
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb. mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup dry champagne
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, mix together the 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper, and Parmesan in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge the chicken in the mixture, until well coated.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, until cooked thoroughly. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.

Add the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan, sauteing for about a minute. Add the champagne and scrape up any browned bits. Reduce the sauce by half, then add the half and half, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the pasta with the sauce. Slice the chicken into strips and serve over the pasta.

Recipe Redo - Taco Rice

I first made this Taco Rice in January 2012 and felt it needed a bit of work. The original recipe didn't have any sauce and that's a big no-no in this house. I was craving tacos but wanted something slightly different. Time for a recipe redo!

The result: delicious. This was perfect. I had barely finished eating and was already thinking about when I could make it again. The tweaks I made - adding tomato paste, salsa and sour cream to the beef mixture - were just what we wanted. I also decided to add some frozen corn, mainly because I'm on a corn kick lately and thought the little kernels would be nice in the dish. I also added crushed tortilla chips for a bit of crunch and texture and they provided the perfect, salty accompaniment.

Something to note - there's no oil in this dish. I've been saying it a lot lately but my friend Melissa has worked hard to cut oil out of most of her recipes. Ground beef is perfect for this method since the beef has plenty of fat already in it. If you add the onion and garlic to the pan at the same time as the beef they all cook together beautifully (and then there's no need to drain off the fat later). I've loved cutting unnecessary calories from our diet.

Taco Rice
Modified from Cassie Craves

1 onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream,
4 cups steamed rice
Toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheddar

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ground beef and saute until the onions are soft and the beef is cooked through, breaking the beef into small chunks as it cooks. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and tomato paste. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Combine salsa and sour cream and stir into the ground beef.

Spread 1/2 to 1 cup of the steamed rice on each plate. Top with the seasoned beef. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, crushed chips and cheese.

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad

I love chicken salad, especially when it's full of fruit and veggies. My friend Emily recently mentioned making a blue cheese chicken salad for dinner and I immediately asked her for details so I could recreate it at home. She gave me a list of ingredients and I improvised based on my standard chicken salad method.

This was so amazing. I never would have thought to add blue cheese to chicken salad but it totally worked. It was just subtle enough to add that distinctive blue cheese flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients. Baby Girl ate her whole sandwich and said it was delicious. I loved the crunch of the apple and celery and the sweetness from the red grapes mixed with the bite of the red onion and blue cheese. The lemon juice brightened up the whole sandwich. If Baby Girl wasn't allergic to nuts I would have added roasted almonds or walnuts, but I didn't miss them.

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad
Inspired by Emily

2 chicken breasts, roasted*
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
3/4 cup red grapes, quartered (or as much as you want)
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 rib celery, diced
Roasted almonds or walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup mayo
2 tablespoons sour cream
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Blue cheese crumbles

To serve:
Toasted kaiser rolls or mixed greens
Sliced tomato
Romaine lettuce leaves

Dice the chicken and add to a large bowl. Add the apple, grapes, red onion, celery, and nuts (if using). Mix together, then add mayo and sour cream. Add lemon juice to taste and as much blue cheese as you'd like. Stir together, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve on toasted kaiser rolls with lettuce and tomato or on top of mixed greens.

*Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with tin foil then arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the aluminum foil over the chicken breasts, and enclose them to form a packet. Bake the chicken (on the baking sheet) 35-45 minutes, or until it is cooked through.

Chili Cornbread Skillet

My friend Melissa has been raving about this Chili Cornbread Skillet for months. She makes it every single week for dinner. I admit, I'm not that into chili. It's fine, it's just not something I crave, but after seeing it week after week on her tumblr page I decided I needed to see what all the fuss was about. Plus SP loves chili and Baby Girl could probably eat a whole pan of cornbread herself so this seemed like a win all around.

This is a great weeknight dinner - it takes almost no time to prepare and tastes great. I found the chili a bit salty, so I cut back on the salt in the recipe below and I think next time I'll leave out the green pepper because they just don't agree with me. SP wanted the chili a bit spicier but I always err on the mild side since Baby Girl eats what we eat.

We all enjoyed this and the leftovers were even more delicious. I had half an avocado in the fridge so I diced it up to eat with my leftovers. I think sour cream, maybe even some cheddar cheese, would be great as well - really whatever toppings you like on your chili would be great with this. Thanks for the push to make this, Melissa!

Chili Cornbread Skillet
As seen on Alosha's Kitchen, from Very Culinary

1 pound ground beef
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon chile powder
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (10-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 package (8.5 ounce) Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
Toppings: grated cheddar, sour cream, diced avocado, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a 10 or 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, spices and salt to the pan. Cook, breaking up the chunks of beef with a wooden spoon, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the beans, soup, salsa, and ketchup and stir until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the corn muffin mix, egg, and milk. Let sit for 2 minutes. Spoon the corn muffin mix over the beef.

Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until cornbread is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes, then break into cornbread top to serve. Top with cheese, sour cream, etc., if desired.

Pasta with Lemony Chicken and Asparagus

When you have a food blog you tend to be the one who does most of the cooking in your house. This works well for us - I work from home now but even when I was commuting to an office I was always home before SP. He is a fantastic cook, his first job was working in a restaurant, but his schedule has made it difficult for him to get in the kitchen these last few years. Recently he asked me to make it possible for him to cook one meal on a weekend (usually Sunday). He spent a lot of time looking through my back issues of Cook's Country before choosing this recipe for Pasta with Lemony Chicken and Asparagus.

As agreed, I stayed out of the kitchen and let him do his thing. Baby Girl helped trim the asparagus (she loves snapping off the woody ends) and I consulted when he had any questions but this meal was entirely his. And it was fantastic, light and flavorful with the brightness of the lemon and the kick from the garlic. The asparagus were perfect - not to thin and not to thick, cooked until tender but not mushy. The chicken was nicely browned and we both loved the campanelle pasta even if it was almost twice the price of our usual store brand. I can't say enough good things about this meal. Even the leftovers were awesome.

The original recipe calls for 4 chicken breasts (1 1/2 lbs) and only half a pound of pasta. I convinced SP to cut it down to 3 chicken breasts and it was still a lot of chicken. I'm modifying the recipe to only 2 chicken breasts. I also think a bunch of asparagus is less than a pound (we didn't weigh it) so you might want to buy two bunches - you can never have too much asparagus.

I can't wait to see what he'll make next!

Pasta with Lemony Chicken and Asparagus
Cook's Country Magazine April/May 2008

8 ounces campanelle pasta
Salt and pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4"-thick slices
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return pasta to the pot and set aside.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and repeat with another tablespoon of butter and the remaining chicken.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the now-empty pan and add the asparagus. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, chicken, asparagus, lemon juice, cheese and parsley to the pot with the pasta and toss to combine, adding the 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water as needed to make a sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed, then serve.

Recipe Swap: Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

The theme for this recipe swap was Mexican food and I lucked out with the only dessert recipe submitted, these incredibly addicting Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars. We were heading to my parent's house for Memorial Day and since we didn't have anything planned for dessert I figured I'd whip these up and bring them over for everyone to share.

Holy cow. These are incredibly simple but so fantastic. Anything with cream cheese in it is an automatic plus in my book but add in flaky crescent roll dough and cinnamon sugar and you've got a real winner. Like Nichole, this was my first experience with sopapilla and I'm sad that I've missed out all these years.

I have to give thanks for my friend Cassie for alerting me to an awesome new product, the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet. After failing to pinch together the perforated dough for these chicken suiza pockets, Cassie told me Pillsbury got wise to cooks using their crescent rolls for other dishes and came out with seamless dough. Brilliant. And no, I'm not being paid to endorse this product, I'm just really thankful I didn't have to fight with the dough when making these bars.

I admit to being a little sad about sharing these but that was a good decision for our waistlines. I heated my leftover pieces in the microwave for 30 seconds (my microwave is old and busted so things take longer to cook), and I definitely prefer it warm. SP and Baby Girl liked them cold. Whichever way you prefer, go out and buy the ingredients for these so you can make them ASAP. You'll thank me.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
As seen on The Cookaholic Wife, from Pillsbury

Cooking spray
2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet
2 bricks cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Press one sheet of the crescent dough into the prepared baking dish.

Combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Alternatively, you can beat the ingredients using a hand mixer.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent dough and then top with the other sheet of crescent dough. Pour the melted butter over the top of the dough.

Stir together the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the melted butter.

Bake for 30 minutes then let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and cut into bars. Serve cold or warmed in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

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Shake Shack Burgers

I knew I wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and traditional start of the grilling season over Memorial Day weekend by grilling burgers, but I thought I'd kick it up a notch by finally trying these make-at-home Shake Shack Burgers.

The original recipe calls for cooking the burgers in a skillet, but I was set on grilling so that's what I did. When you look at the ingredients this is a very traditional burger that's elevated by the cooking method and the sauce. The sauce is what makes these burgers. I loved it, SP wasn't a fan. I will definitely be making these again and just letting SP dress his own burger. One of these days I hope to try an actual Shake Shack burger.

Shake Shack Burgers
As seen on What's Brewing in the Kitchen, originally from Serious Eats

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 slices kosher dill pickle, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 burger rolls, preferably potato
4 leaves lettuce, tops of leaves only
4 slices ripe tomatoes, center-cut preferred

4 slices yellow American cheese

Combine mayo, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickle, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne in a bowl. Set aside.

Form the ground beef into 4 patties. Sprinkle the top side heavily with salt and pepper.

Using a wadded up paper towel, rub vegetable oil on a large stainless steel skillet, then place over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke.

Split the buns and spread the softened butter on the tops and bottoms of all 4 rolls. Place under the broiler or toast until golden brown. Once toasted, top with 1-2 teaspoons of sauce on each bun. On the top bun, add one leaf of lettuce and one slice of tomato. Set prepped buns on parchment paper.

When skillet is barely smoking, place beef patties in, seasoned side down. Using the back of a spatula, flatten the patties to 4 inches wide. You want the beef to stick and get a nice crust. Season the top side with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp crust forms, about three minutes. Flip burgers and top each with one slice American cheese. Cover and cook until cheese melts.

Transfer patties to bottoms of burger buns and cover with toppings and bun tops. Wrap in parchment paper and let sit for 1-2 minutes to let the juices from the burgers sink into the buns and the sauce to meld with the other toppings and cheese. Don't skip this step, it really makes a difference! Unwrap and serve immediately.

Herb Grilled Chicken with Creamy Broccoli Orzo

I recently bought broccoli crowns that I ended up not cooking, so when Tara posted this recipe for Herb Grilled Chicken with Creamy Broccoli Orzo it sounded like a great way to use them up. It was also perfect because I've had half a box of orzo lurking in my pantry forever.

As I was reading over the recipe I realized two things - (1) a full pound of orzo would make way too many leftovers and (2) there's no mention of cooking the broccoli before adding it to the orzo so I decided to cook it with the tomatoes before tossing everything together.

The result was amazing. This was a great dish, light from the substitution of Greek yogurt for heavy cream and bright, fresh flavors. I don't know why I don't cook with orzo more often. Baby Girl absolutely loved this, practically shoveling the orzo and chicken into her mouth. A winner all around.

Herb Grilled Chicken with Creamy Broccoli Orzo
As seen on Smells Like Home

8 oz orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
6 oz plain fat-free or low-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus extra for sprinkling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and season with herbes de Provence, salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

While the grill heats and right after you drop the orzo in the water, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender and fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the broth and tomatoes and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Simmer the tomatoes for 2 minutes, then add the broccoli. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Start grilling the chicken while the broccoli cooks, turning after 4-5 minutes and grilling for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into slices.

Stir the yogurt and cream into the tomato and broccoli mixture. Add the drained orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan and toss until the sauce coats the pasta thickly. Season the orzo with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan, if desired. Serve with the grilled chicken.