Orzo with Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper

Orzo is a staple at my house, it's one of the items I always keep stocked in my pantry.  Orzo is rice shaped pasta that is versatile and easy to prepare. Combine it with your favorite meat, veggie, cheese or vinaigrette for a quick and healthy meal.  Orzo can be served hot or cold and always tastes better the next day.  My favorite thing about orzo is that 1 cup cooked (1/2 cup uncooked) is only 5 weight watchers points plus values or 210 calories. 

Orzo with Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper
Servings 4 - 1 cup servings
WW points+  6 per serving

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

1/2 red bell pepper

2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach

5 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

7 ounces warm cooked cubed chicken breast

garlic salt

salt and pepper

 

Directions



1. Spray bell pepper with cooking spray. Roast the red pepper on a grill or gas cook top or oven broiler for 5-7 minutes, once pepper is a little black and blistery place pepper in a plastic sandwich bag for about 10 minutes.  The steam will continue to cook the pepper and soften the skin. While the pepper is still enclosed in the plastic bag scrape the sides of the pepper with your finger to remove the charred skin.  (Note: I like a little char on my pepper but if you don't like it scrape it all off or just skip the roasting completely and saute the chopped bell pepper in a pan.)  Remove the pepper from the bag, chop and set aside.

2. Cook the orzo according to the directions on the box. Once the orzo is done, drain it and pour hot orzo into a large bowl.  While the orzo is still hot add in two handfuls of fresh spinach and stir.  The heat from the orzo will wilt the spinach.  Next add in the feta cheese, roasted red peppers and chopped cooked chicken breast**. Season with garlic salt, salt and pepper to you taste. 

Note: If the pasta is a little dry, toss in 2 teaspoons of olive oil (this will not change the WW points+ values).

**I will be writing a post on brining and freezing cooked chicken soon.