Creamy Pesto Chicken & Orzo

with Capers & Currants

30 MIN

4 Servings

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with Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces

From the Test Kitchen

In this colorful dish, sautéed chicken, capers, and currants, and a hearty bed of orzo (studded with carrots, juicy tomatoes, and spinach) come together under a drizzle of creamy basil pesto—creating a variety of exciting flavors and textures in every bite.
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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

640 Cals (est.)

View Full Nutrition

fresh

ingredients

18 oz Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces
½ lb Orzo Pasta
1 Tbsp Capers
¾ lb Carrots
2 Tbsps Dried Currants
2 cloves Garlic
5 oz Baby Spinach
⅓ cup Basil Pesto
½ lb Grape Tomatoes
¼ cup Mayonnaise
¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare the ingredients

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Halve the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. In a bowl, combine the pesto and mayonnaise.

2 Cook the vegetables

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the halved tomatoes and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

3 Cook the pasta & wilt the spinach

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Stir until wilted and thoroughly combined.

4 Cook the chicken

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the currants, capers, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat.

5 Finish the pasta & serve your dish

To the pot of cooked pasta and spinach, add the cooked vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked chicken over the finished pasta. Drizzle with the creamy pesto. Enjoy!