Garlic-Caper Chicken
with Creamy Calabrian Zucchini & Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Capers
- 1 Lemon
- 1½ tsp Calabrian Chile Paste
- 4 oz Orzo Pasta
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Zucchini
- ¼ cup Cream
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Olive Oil (from pantry)
- Salt (from pantry)
- Pepper (from pantry)
Instructions
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Prepare the ingredients
Fill a medium pot 3/4 the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the capers. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Quarter and deseed the lemon.
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Cook the pasta
Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.
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Cook the zucchini
Meanwhile, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced zucchini in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add as much of the chile paste as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and the zucchini is softened. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.
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Cook the chicken
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the Italian seasoning to coat (you may have extra). In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook, 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board.
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Make the garlic-caper topping
In the pan of reserved fond, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped capers and chopped garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Turn off the heat. Carefully stir in the juice of 2 lemon wedges.
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Finish the pasta & serve your dish
To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked zucchini, cream, and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the finished pasta topped with the sliced chicken and garlic-caper topping. Garnish with the cheese. Enjoy!
Protein Variations
Shrimp
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Customized Step 4: If you chose Shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (remove the tails if desired); place in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and enough of the Italian seasoning to coat (you may have extra). Stir to coat. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until opaque and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.
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Customized Step 6: If you chose Shrimp
Finish the pasta as directed in Step 6. Serve the finished pasta topped with the cooked shrimp and garlic-caper topping. Garnish with the cheese. Enjoy!
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