Hello my lovely’s it has been awhile since a recipe appeared on here don’t ya think?
Plus it’s always fun to kick off the weekend with cooking adventures in mind. Aka what special way can I make Friday dinner more exciting? Can we throw a bbq Saturday? What desserts should be made? IS Sunday brunch happening?
At least those are the kinds of thoughts that go through my brain every time Friday rolls around. More like every time Wednesday rolls around because I am already thinking about the weekend by then. Okay, let’s be real…I start thinking about it Monday but those are minor details.
So at work we have this basil olive oil and strawberry white balsamic. That combination of flavors has been taking over my taste buds which is what led to this little weekend gem of a recipe.
If you have been following TNK for a while, (If you have, thank you. You are amazing for reading up on all my little food rants. I appreciate you more than you realize.) you know my love for orzo pasta. Well, all whole grain things in general are my forte really. Barley, farro, steel-cut oats, regular oats, granola, brown rice, bow tie pasta…the list goes on and on.
This year was the first year my body truly started to yearn for those grains on a daily basis. Besides oats…those have been in my heart for a while now.
But lately my lunches and dinner have revolved around these grains. Think enchilada rice bowls, Mediterranean barley bowls, chicken pasta salads…it’s been a good time. And don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about my lovely fish taco’s. I live for those babies too.
My roommate Alicia asked me a few weeks ago how I come up with my recipes. And it really comes down to a science. Just kidding. It really comes down to what I’m craving then my mind begins running with different combinations of flavors, cooking methods and meals all day long like an old fashion movie reel. Then even more inspiration gets sprouted from restaurant outings, cookbooks and food blogs I adore.
I guess it’s a little science and alotta of passion?
My body yearns for hearty and filling grainy things almost everyday. Enter–> Orzo.
We Olive has had me dancing around the idea of strawberry balsamic and basil olive oil. Enter–> Strawberry Basil Chicken.
Garlic and extra virgin olive oil are rooted deep in my soul so naturally this recipe has fresh garlic and good quality olive oil from my lovely work We Olive.
So here we are with Strawberry, Basil & Chicken Orzo Pasta to get our Friday foodie adventures started. Hello weekend I am so ready for ya.
Strawberry, Basil & Chicken Orzo Pasta
- Yield: Makes 4–6 servings. 1x
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup aged balsamic
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder + Italian seasoning
For the Pasta
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 handfuls of fresh basil, diced into small ribbons
- 2–3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil*
- 4 cups cooked orzo pasta
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Sea salt to taste
- Juice from 1 small lemon
- 1 cup strawberries, diced
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large baking dish. Whisk together the balsamic, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with extra seasoning. Cover and place in the fridge and marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Once done marinating, you can either grill the chicken, bake or broil. I broiled the chicken on high heat for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking heat a large pan and sauté the garlic and ribboned basil in olive oil for a few minutes on medium high heat until garlic is slightly browned. Toss in the pasta and stir it all together. Add in the seasonings, lemon juice and continue to mix. Add in a little more oil if pasta it seems dry. Stir in the diced strawberries then remove from heat.
- Serve the pasta with the chicken and garnish with extra fresh basil if desired.
Notes
I used a mix of meyer lemon extra virgin olive oil and garlic extra virgin olive oil from We Olive but any will do.
Makes 4-6 servings.