I was shopping at the new Publix grocery store in Hickory the other day. They had one of the staff making the following recipe. It really smelled wonderful. I picked up a recipe card. After looking at the recipe, I decided I had to make this dish. I went back to Publix and bought the ingredients I didn’t already have. I used chicken thighs instead of leg quarters. I used my slow cooker like they did, however, I could have used my pressure cooker and sped up the meal. I’m retired, I have time (sometimes).
The first pict shows the thighs browning up in my iron frying pan.
The next pict shows the sliced sweet pepper rings and a sweet onion. After stating to sweat down the peppers and onion, I added another slice onion. Can’t have too much sweet onion.
The browned chicken thighs are in the slow cooker waiting for the cooked sweet pepper rings and onions with the sauce.
Here is my plate ready to go. It really was quite tasty. Not like any dishes I have made before. I will be making this again.
Here is the recipe from Publix.
Kalamata Chicken with Orzo
Publix
Ingredients:
3 3/4 lbs. chicken leg quarters
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
5 ounces fresh presliced sweet onions (1 cup)
8 ounces mini sweet pepper rings
1 cup chicken broth
1 (8-oz) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 cup Greek yogurt ranch dressing
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olive halves
3 cups baby spinach
Directions:
1. Cut chicken in half, separating thigh and drumstick. Place in large bowl: oil, seasoning, and chicken; toss to coat (wash hands). Preheat large, nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 1–2 minutes.
2. Place chicken in pan, skin-side down; cook 3–4 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer chicken to slow cooker.
3. Add onions and peppers to sauté pan; cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables begin to brown. Whisk broth, tomato sauce, dressing, and red pepper; stir into pan with onions and peppers until blended. Bring mixture to boil; pour over chicken. Cover slow cooker; cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
4. Stir in pasta and olives; cover and cook 30–45 more minutes until pasta is tender and chicken pulls easily from bone. Stir in spinach. Serve.
Art