Everything is better topped with crispy, cheesy breadcrumbs. If we’re being honest, this magical mixture could be sprinkled on just about anything and we’d happily dig in, no questions asked. What makes this dish so special is that it’s already incredible on its own, so the crunchy crust is really just the cherry on top! In it, you’ll find orzo pasta, chicken sausage, and spinach, and grape tomatoes, all enrobed in a rich, lemony sauce. So, what are you waiting for?
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
2 clove
Garlic
5 ounce
Spinach
1 unit
Lemon
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
¼ ounce
Parsley
9 ounce
Italian Chicken Sausage Mix
6 ounce
Orzo Pasta
(Contains Wheat)
1 tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
1 unit
Chicken Stock Concentrate
½ cup
Mozzarella Cheese
(Contains Milk)
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains Wheat)
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1 tablespoon
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Heat broiler to high. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Mince garlic. Chop spinach until you have 1 very packed cup (2 cups for 4 servings; you might not use all the spinach). Halve lemon; cut one half into wedges. Halve tomatoes. Finely chop parsley.
Once water is boiling, add orzo to pot. Cook until al dente, 7-9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large, high-sided (preferably ovenproof) pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until just browned, 3-4 minutes. (It’ll cook through in the next step.)
Add tomatoes and garlic to pan with sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is fragrant and sausage is cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in half the Italian Seasoning (all for 4 servings); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes begin to break down, 2-3 minutes more. Lower heat to medium.
Stir chopped spinach, stock concentrate, ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water (¾ cup for 4 servings), and cooked orzo into pan. Cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted and mixture is creamy, 2-3 minutes. TIP: If mixture seems dry, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time as necessary.
Stir in mozzarella and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste. (TIP: If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture now to a baking dish.) In a small bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper; sprinkle over orzotto. Broil until panko is golden brown, 2-3 minutes. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Divide orzotto between plates. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.