Dinner Recipes: Co-op Marinated Herb & Garlic Chicken
We’ve all been there. It’s the middle of the week, life is busy, and the last thing on your mind is what to cook for dinner. And maybe, you don’t feel like cooking at all. But don’t hit the drive-thru just yet. Opt for something healthy and easy, with a little help from the Co-op: our marinated chicken breast!
This is one of my personal favorites because it’s quick, delicious, and doesn’t leave me feeling icky like fast food can. A crowd-pleasing dinner ready in less than 40 minutes? I say, yum, please.
P.S. This recipe also serves as my ode to our marinated meats. If you haven’t tried them yet, I highly recommend picking up a pack. Marinated right here, in a variety a flavors, you can’t go wrong.
Photo by Leigha Staffenhagen
Herb & Garlic Chicken with Broccoli and Buttered Fennel-Leek Orzo
Buttery orzo bursts with flavors of citrus, leek, and fennel and pairs perfectly with the garlic and herb marinade. If you don’t like broccoli, sub in green beans, a big green salad, or your other favorite vegetable.
Ingredients
2 packs of Co-op Herb & Garlic Marinated Chicken Breast
2 cups broccoli florets
1 leek, chopped
1 fennel bulb chopped, with fronds for serving
3/4 cups orzo
1/3 cup dry white wine (can also sub with more chicken broth)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
2 tbsp butter
1 lemon
Olive or avocado oil + salt & pepper
Directions
Heat some oil & the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, add in the leeks and fennel and cook till soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add the orzo to the skillet and cook till browned and toasty, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the white wine, quickly stirring to deglaze the pan. If you want to omit the wine, you can replace it with chicken broth. Either way, you don’t want to miss this part - all the flavorful, deglazed browned bits are worth it.
Once the white wine has evaporated, reduce heat to medium-low and pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, stirring constantly to combine. Once the chicken broth is almost entirely evaporated, but before the pan gets totally dry, pour in the next 1/2 cup of broth. Complete this process till you’ve used all 2 1/2 cups of broth. Make sure to stir consistently to ensure the orzo cooks.* Reduce heat to the lowest setting and keep warm on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Add more chicken broth if the pan gets too dry.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the broccoli.
Heat another oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the chicken breast. Depending on how much you have, you may need to use two skillets. Usually, 1 large Green Pan is perfect for me. Cook till the sides are opaque, about 9 minutes.
Flip and cook for another 9 minutes. Using a meat thermometer, temp the meat at 170 degrees Fahrenheit before allowing it to rest on a cutting board.
While the chicken is resting, toss the broccoli into the pot of now boiling water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 2 minutes.
Finish with orzo off with a squeeze of lemon. Distribute the orzo to the plates, and top with the chicken, sliced against the grain. Drain the broccoli and serve it alongside the orzo and chicken.
If you’re feeling fancy, garnish your dish with the fennel fronds before taking a picture (phone eats first, hello) and tagging us on Instagram - @skagitfoodcoop
Enjoy!
*NOTE: this is one of my favorite parts of this dish, but it does take some time. If you’d rather skip all the risotto-style stirring, after you’ve deglazed the pan with the wine, simply add in all the chicken broth, bring to a low boil and cook until tender - about 13 minutes.