Recipe: Broccolini, Chicken Sausage, and Orzo Skillet
Turn chicken sausage, quick-cooking orzo, and broccolini into an easy one-skillet pasta dinner with this weeknight-friendly recipe.
Serves4
All too often you don’t want to be bothered with assembling separate elements of a meal. For those times, there are all-in-one dinners like this. Tender Broccolini, spicy chicken sausage, and orzo pasta come together in one skillet to make a creamy, satisfying dinner that only requires a bowl and a fork.
The Crowd Appeal of Orzo
Tiny orzo really can’t be beat. It cooks up ridiculously fast, and even picky eaters tend to love its tender, rice-like bite. Here, it’s simmered right in a skillet of sautéed Broccolini and chicken sausage with chicken broth. The orzo not only picks up the flavor of these ingredients, but as it absorbs the broth, it also releases some of its starch, which makes for a skillet dinner that’s creamy and almost risotto-like. Stir in some grated Parmesan cheese for good measure and you’ve got a meal that everyone will gather around the table for.
Broccolini, Chicken Sausage, and Orzo Skillet
Turn chicken sausage, quick-cooking orzo, and broccolini into an easy one-skillet pasta dinner with this weeknight-friendly recipe.
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 8 ounces
fully cooked hot Italian chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 2 bunches
broccolini (about 1 pound), coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1 cup
orzo pasta
- 2 1/2 cups
low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup
grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Instructions
Heat the oil in a 10-inch regular or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until evenly browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broccolini, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until vibrant green and almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes or according to your orzo's package instructions. (If the pasta is cooked before the liquid is completely absorbed, uncover the skillet and let it simmer for an extra minute to evaporate it.) Stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan and season as needed with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional grated cheese if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.