notes, quotes & anecdotes of a year fast passing

alright, folks, i’m not going to lie. these pictures aren’t that pretty… but the meal was really quick and easy, so don’t judge the dish by the photos.  i found a variation of the recipe in cooking light, but doctored it up based on what we had in the fridge. customize your version accordingly! it’s really simple to make and since it’s a one pot meal, you won’t have many dishes to worry about after. isn’t that the best kind of dinner?!

anyways, what else is new? i hope you’re in your kitchen baking up some holiday treats to share with family, friends, coworkers and the gang. if you need any inspiration/ideas/recipes, think about gingerbread cupcakes, classic sugar cookies, hot chocolate cookies or eggnog cupcakes! and how to wrap it all up? cookie baggies, of course :) (shameless plug: if you’re looking for other recipe ideas, you can always check the recipe rundown. i’ve been very meticulous in organizing alphabetically and also by category!)

alright, after that rant, i just really want some sweet treats… but i’ll show you a nutritious and filling dinner idea instead.

ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can low-sodium chicken broth (14.5 oz)

1/3 cup lemon juice (plus lemon for garnish, optional)

2 teaspoons honey

3/4 cup orzo

1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1” pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

2 cups water

done collecting? great, let’s move onto the doing.

(ps - yes i know there’s sour cream in that picture, but just ignore it. i saw it in the original recipe, but think it’s totally unnecessary, so you don’t need to use it.)

prep by cutting your chicken, green beans, bell pepper (or whatever veggies you’re going to use) into 1” pieces.

next, pour the broth and lemon juice into a big pot or dutch oven. bring them to a boil, add the chicken, salt and pepper. cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked. remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside for a bit.

now that the liquid is the only thing left in the pot, bring the heat back up to high, let it cook for about five minutes and whisk in the honey.

add the two cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. pour in the orzo and cook for 10 minutes or until the orzo is tender, the majority of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is more voluminous (don’t you just love that word?! i do.)

add the green beans, bell pepper and chicken. let it simmer for about five minutes before serving.

nice and light but totally filling. enjoy!

click here for a printable version of the recipe!