Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Orzo

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken breast, cut into 3cm strips
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 80 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced, 1 tbsp oil reserved
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika, divided
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
• 600 ml chicken stock
• 300 g orzo pasta
• 100 g baby spinach
• 100 ml double cream
• 50 g parmesan, finely grated
• 10 g basil leaves

Method

1. Heat the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large, deep frying pan over a high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt and black pepper.
2. Brown the chicken in two batches for 4 to 5 minutes each, turning until golden and cooked through. Lift it onto a plate. Give the strips room or the pan will fill with liquid before they colour.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and starting to catch at the edges. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika and dried herbs for 30 seconds.
4. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, then pour in the wine and bubble hard for 2 minutes while you scrape the base of the pan.
5. Stir in the orzo and stock. Bring to a steady simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the orzo is tender and most of the stock has been absorbed. Add a splash of water if the pasta tightens before it is cooked.
6. Stir in the cream, parmesan and spinach. Return the chicken and its resting juices, then fold everything together until the spinach wilts and the sauce coats the orzo. Taste and add salt or black pepper if needed.
7. Spoon into warm bowls before the orzo drinks the remaining sauce. Tear over the basil and serve.