Spinach and Mushroom Orzo Pasta

My husband has told me that “pasta is my thing”……over some other dishes I’ve made which have turned out to be an epic fail! The original of this one was actually a bit of a fail as well, but this lunch or dinner idea here…it’s a win

Serves 4 people

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 Chicken breasts, cleaned and cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 227 g Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• ⅓ Cup White Wine
• 1 Cup Orzo pasta
• 1 bunch Fresh spinach, washed and thinly sliced
• 1-1½ Cups Grated Mozzarella cheese
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large wok.
2. Add the garlic and lightly sauté. Make sure not to burn the garlic.
3. Cook the chicken pieces until there is no more pink in the middle.
4. Remove the chicken to a plate and discard the liquid.
5. Place the wok back on the stovetop, increasing the temperature to medium-high and add the mushrooms with the white wine. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until the mushrooms soften.
6. While the mushrooms soften, cook the orzo pasta – bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta once cooked and leave aside.
7. Add the spinach to the mushroom and white wine sauce and lower the heat to medium low. Allow the spinach to wilt down, about two minutes.
8. Add the orzo and chicken to the wok and stir all ingredients to combine. If there is excess liquid in the pan, allow it to dry up.
9. Turn the heat off and add in the grated mozzarella cheese. If you really like a cheesy dish you can add 1½ Cups of mozzarella, otherwise, 1 Cup is sufficient! Stir all ingredients to melt the cheese and incorporate all items into the dish. Season with salt and pepper as desired.