Pesto Chicken & Orzo

Preheat the oven to 375℉.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon about 1 tbsp of pesto onto each chicken breast and use a brush or a spoon to spread over both sides.  

Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.

In the meantime, prepare the orzo.  In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.  Add the orzo and cook until toasted and slightly golden.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Increase the heat to high, add the chicken broth to the saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 12-14 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the liquid is absorbed, check the orzo to make sure the texture is how you like it (we like ours al dente) and that it is seasoned properly.  When done, remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan.

To serve, spoon orzo into bowls and top with the pesto chicken.  Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.