Simple Chicken Sausage Orzo

Simple Chicken Sausage Orzo

Recipe by Simply Balanced MealsCourse: DinnerDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Quick and easy orzo dish! This recipe comes together so quickly, and can easily be made vegan or dairy free. Perfect meal prep for easy lunches as well.

Ingredients

  • 2 T olive oil

  • 2 T butter

  • 16 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies

  • 1 cup uncooked orzo

  • 2 cups chicken broth

  • ½ cup milk of choice

  • 12 oz cooked chicken sausage

  • Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

  • Add 1 T olive oil and butter to a large frying pan (I love using my wok for this!). Heat over medium heat until butter has melted.
  • Add frozen veggies to the pan. Add a sprinkle of any spices you want (I use garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt).
  • Once heated, add the uncooked orzo and chicken broth. Stir and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and turn stove to low. Simmer for 6 minutes.
  • While this is heating, slice up your chicken sausage. Heat the other 1 T olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add chicken sausage and fry them to your liking (Peter likes them extra crispy).
  • Remove lid to the orzo pan after 6 minutes. Add milk and sausage. Stir and put the lid back on. Let simmer for 4-6 minutes. It may seem a little more watery than you thought, but trust me the orzo soaks it right up as it sits. It’s best to have some extra liquid, especially if you plan to have this for leftovers, so the orzo doesn’t dry out.
  • Serve, and top with parmesan (optional).

Notes

  • For the chicken sausage, I love the organic Italian chicken sausage at Trader Joes! You can also use cooked chicken (chopped into small pieces) or regular Italian sausage if you want!
  • To make vegan/dairy free: Use vegan butter, dairy free milk, veggie broth (or water, but you may find it lacking flavor so add more spices), and a meat alternative of your choosing (beyond sausage or tempeh work well).
  • Peter and I both dislike onions, so they will not be included in my recipes. However, feel free to add 1 finely chopped onion after the butter is melted and before you put in the frozen veggies