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Poached Chicken and Pomegranate Orzo Recipe

Poached Chicken and Pomegranate Orzo
Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: About 1 hr | Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Cooking the orzo in the flavorful poaching liquid adds extra punch, while the pomegranate seeds lend an unexpected crunchy texture to this easy weeknight dinner.

This recipe was featured as part of our Fall Ingredients.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup small-dice red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat the olive oil a medium frying pan over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the onion, garlic, and coriander, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the water and chicken, reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer, turning the chicken once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Meanwhile, add the orzo to the poaching liquid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the orzo to a large, nonreactive bowl and stir in the maple syrup, vinegar, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, and shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    Write a review | 11 Reviews
  • Poached Chicken and Pomegranate Orzo Recipe
    2

    Haven't cooked this yet but would highly recommend using Greek orzo rather than Italian...it's a harder wheat variety, takes longer to cook, but holds its shape and texture extremely well. And if you are looking for a quick, dead-simple way of getting the seeds out of a pomegranate, find out, as Martha Stewart did, how billions of South Asians do it: http://www.myspace.com/video/pom-wonderful/how-to-open-a-pomegranate-on-martha-stewart/48099680

  • Poached Chicken and Pomegranate Orzo Recipe
    3

    This was an easy way to use up leftover pomegranate seeds. I used honey instead of maple syrup and red wine vinegar, since that's all I had on hand. As written, I wasn't blown away with the dish (should have bulked it up with veggies, maybe spinach?), but I can see myself using the method again and again with different (and way more) mix-ins to make this a complete meal.

  • Poached Chicken and Pomegranate Orzo Recipe
    5

    Where can I find pomegranate seeds?

  • sonoranwoman - scroll up to the top of this thread and click on the link that says "Poached Chicken..." It should take you straight to the recipe. :-)

  • I think this sounds amazing! I can't wait to try it - and I LOVE pomegranate in anything!

  • Oh no the pomegranate seeds would be similar to cranberry sauce with turkey! YUMMY! Can' wait to try it, and never heard of pomegranate seeds @ costco!!! Something to look for! Thanks!!!!

  • Sounds disgusting - pomegranate in a hot dish? Might work as a salad.

  • Hi as7938. Here's some info from CHOW on nonreactive bowls:

    http://www.chow.com/food-news/54594/w...

    Hope that helps!

    Deborah from CHOW

  • The dish sounds lovely, by the way! A great use for the pomegranate seeds I bought from Costco.

  • What is a non-reactive bowl? (My bowls generally are happy when I cook, except the one my mother gave me...it always yells and trys to micro-manage me)

  • And the recipe is where???

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