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Lemon Pesto Chicken Tenders with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes & Orzo

Présenté par

raddar team

Serving

4

Preparation

15 minutes

Cooking time

25 min

Everything comes together in one synchronized flow — while the chicken bakes, the orzo and tomatoes do their thing with almost zero babysitting. The bright lemon-basil pesto ties the whole plate together so it feels restaurant-worthy on a Tuesday night.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
¼ cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup grated Parmesan
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 tsp lemon zest
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the Chicken Tenders

1½ lb raw chicken tenders
3 tbsp of the prepared lemon pesto (reserved from above)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the Orzo

1½ cups dry orzo
4 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp salt
Remaining lemon pesto (from above)
Extra Parmesan and fresh basil for serving

Steps

Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring the water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
Make the lemon pesto first so it’s ready to do double duty. Add the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times, then stream in the olive oil while blending until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside — you’ll use some now and the rest at the end.
Pat the chicken tenders dry and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spoon 3 tbsp of the pesto over top. Toss well to coat every tender evenly.
Arrange the coated tenders on one half of the prepared baking sheet. On the other half, toss the cherry tomatoes with the sliced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread them out in a single layer.
Slide the baking sheet into the oven and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until the chicken is golden at the edges and cooked through (no pink inside), and the tomatoes are blistered and starting to collapse.
While the chicken and tomatoes are roasting, add the orzo and salt to your now-boiling water or broth. Reduce to a steady medium simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just tender. Drain well and return to the pot.
While the orzo is still warm, stir in the remaining lemon pesto and toss until every piece is coated and glossy. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Pull the baking sheet from the oven. Spoon the pesto orzo into a serving dish or directly onto plates, lay the chicken tenders on top, and scatter the roasted tomatoes over everything. Finish with extra Parmesan and a few fresh basil leaves.

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