Sun-dried tomatoes and Romano cheese pack a flavorful punch along with the tantalizing aroma of fresh marjoram in this rustic Italian-inspired dish. Serve with sautéed fresh spinach or steamed broccolini.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

8 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), divided
1 plum tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 cup finely shredded Romano cheese, divided

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 457 calories; 12 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 54 g carbohydrate; 36 g protein; 10 g fiber; 372 mg sodium; 546 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Folate (34% daily value), Iron (25% dv), Potassium (16% dv), Calcium & Vitamin C (15% dv).
3 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat

I made this for my mother and nine year old sister and they loved it! I could not find sun dried tomatoes in my supermarket that were not packed in oil, so I patted them down and used the oil from the container instead of the EVOO (they were packed in EVOO anyways). I also skipped the artichokes in favor of serving a nice arugula, toasted pine nuts, and goat chesse salad. The whole dish went over great and was very easy to make. The nine year old loved it and my mother is still raving about it a week later!

Justin, Albany, NY

This came out very good. I did not have artichokes, but I added peas instead and it was really yummy. I will make this again.

Sarah, Boston, MA

I'm sorry, normally I love EW recipes, but this one could be a lot better. The sauce was not tomatoey enough for me... this could benefit from having canned tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes. I think the garlic needs to be cooked more than just blended into the sauce. We also felt this made a TON of orzo (we weighed it before cooking).

Angela, Westland, MI

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Jane, Southern CA, CA

This was the easiest and most flavorful entree I have ever fixed. The garlic was subtle and marjoram with it was a delightful surprise!!!!! Also, the dried tomatoes gave each bite a burst of summer!!!!

Carolyn Gerber, Saint Marys, WV

I love this dish. It was easy but I think next time I will cut up the chicken in cubes and make little more sauce.

Lauren, Poulsbo, WA

Although I was really excited to make this dish, I found it to be very bland. I wasn't able to find fresh marjoram in my grocery store and substituted dried Italian seasoning instead. Perhaps it would have had better flavor with the fresh herbs. I also found that it did not make enough sauce. I don't think I would make this dish again.

Holley, Tucker, GA