Cold Leftovers for School

Tuesday was a nutto day - plenty of work to do, storms with hail and pounding rain, a walk in between with sunshine, kids to pick up, homework to get done. A hot homemade meal sounded great. ooh.. I'm the one who needs to make that. Darn. I mean - oh yay! This was the recipe on the plan for the night - figured it was winner, I mean comeon.... chicken, pasta, broccoli and cheese? Yes! Should I have flattened the chicken? Yes. Why didn't I? I was lazy - it worked out. I was able to prep all the parts of this recipe so when it was go time - it really was pretty easy to put this one together. My biggest concern was finding a colander or something to get the orzo out of the water - but we found something and made it work. This was a winner from my family. We did decide it was kind of hot outside for such a hot meal... but still delicious and it made left overs which nothing seems to do lately. Our family has been eating everything - so it made Nicholas happy to have left overs to eat at school. This kid does not like making a sandwich to take to school - he'd rather eat cold leftovers. He even has a thermos. His effort put forth for lunch is zero to none - so spooning some leftovers in a container - works for him. Heck, it works for me too!

Chicken and Orzo
Sauce:
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, parsley
¼ teaspoon paprika
Chicken, Orzo, Cheese, etc:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
Salt/Pepper
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 cups broccoli florets
⅓ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 lb. orzo
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
Cover the chicken with saran wrap and use a meat mallet to tenderize each side. Cut it into strips and pat it dry. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside.
As you continue with the following steps, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once a boil is reached, stir in some salt.
Meanwhile, add the wine/broth to the same skillet used to cook the chicken and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce. Simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes.
Add the sauce mixture (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover partially while you cook the pasta.
Cook the orzo 1 minute less then what's noted on the package instructions. Add the broccoli to the boiling pasta water during the last 3 minutes. Drain once cooked.
Gradually sprinkle in the cheddar and Parmesan cheese into the sauce until combined.
Add the broccoli and the cooked orzo. Stir to combine and heat through for 1-2 minutes. The orzo will continue to absorb more and more sauce. Slide a silicone spatula along the bottom of the skillet to lift any that may settle at the bottom.
Continue to cook until the sauce is reduced and the orzo is cooked through. Add the chicken and cover to heat through, then serve!