What’s Better Than Easy and Tasty?
This is a dinner you’re going to want to save for later because it is so easy to make. It also happens to be incredibly tasty and makes you feel like you’re out to eat at a fancy restaurant. A satiating mix of protein, carbs, and veggies this chicken sausage orzo is well balanced and fulfilling. It’s lightly seasoned with the best flavors of Italian cuisine and free from heavy creams, butters, or oils. Great to have as a simple, healthy dish that you’re going to love just as much as I do!
I created this recipe in a rush to get out the door and on my way to a picnic with a friend. I had recently stocked up on orzo and chicken sausage from Whole Foods and knew they were two of my quickest options. After throwing the orzo in some boiling water, I was frantically tossing veggies and spices together in a pan. Knowing I needed the protein, I microwaved a chicken sausage, put all my ingredients into a container, and was out the door in no time. Later, when I gave my pasta dish a try, I was amazed. This was a dinner that tasted almost too good to be true!
After my evening picnic amazement, I knew I had to recreate the dish I frantically threw together so I could share it with the world. I truly love that this took little to no time to cook, but kept me full for hours! Living life with an allergy to preservatives means that finding new, easy, and great tasting options for dinner is an incredible feeling. If you are a big fan of light, Italian style meals, you must try it. And if you’re not, I still recommend you give it a chance.
Ingredients
- Whole Foods Organic Bratwurst Chicken Sausage
- Whole Foods Organic Orzo
- Organic spinach
- Organic cherry tomatoes
- Simply Organic Garlic Salt and Italian Seasoning
Chicken sausage is one thing I ate prior to my allergy diagnosis so I was very excited to find a brand that is safe to eat! Chicken sausage often come fully cooked and doesn’t spoil quickly which makes it a great protein to keep stocked up in the fridge. I also love to always have some spinach and cherry tomatoes in my home because they can “spice-up” or “fancy-up” countless meals.
Making the Chicken Sausage Orzo
To prepare your orzo, start by pouring 2 cups of water into a pot and placing over high heat on the stove. Bring the water to a boil and add in a pinch of sea salt and your cup of orzo. Lower the hit, stir the orzo, and let it simmer. While the orzo is cooking, place a pan over low-medium heat and spray or coat the pan with olive oil or avocado oil. Add in the spinach and let the spinach begin to heat up.
While the spinach is warming, chop the cherry tomatoes and slice the chicken sausage. Then when the spinach begins to shrink, add the tomatoes and sausage into the pan along with the garlic salt and Italian seasoning. The orzo should be done after 10 minutes or when the water is almost fully gone. Drain any remaining water and add the orzo into the pan with your spinach, tomatoes, and seasoning.
Mix the ingredients well and let them cook together on medium heat. After about 5 minutes, turn off the heat and serve!
Serving Size & Storage
This recipe makes 2-3 servings and works great as dinner for one or two. It can be made as an easy meal prep and the leftovers are great for lunch. You can also double or triple the recipe, you may just need some bigger pots and pans. This pasta will stay good in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Italian Style Orzo with Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 cup Orzo uncooked
- 1 links Chicken sausage sliced
- 5 cups Spinach
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes diced
- 1 tsp Garlic salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot on the stove and add a pinch of sea salt. When the water is boiling, add the orzo to the pot and lower the heat. Let the orzo simmer.
- While the orzo is cooking, sauté the spinach in a pan on low heat. When the spinach shrinks in size, add in the chopped tomatoes, garlic salt, and Italian seasoning.
- Slice up the chicken sausage and add it to the pan with the spinach and tomato mix. Cook for 5 minutes on low-medium heat.
- After 10 minutes when the orzo is cooked, drain the excess water and add the pasta into the pan with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook the pasta dish for 5 more minutes stirring consistently then turn off the heat and serve!
