1jar, 25 oz Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce
1 to 1 ½cupschicken or vegetable broth
Salt and black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta, optional, for serving
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Instructions
Prepare and Brown the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season generously on both sides with salt, pepper, and your choice of dried herbs.
Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
Place the chicken thighs in the hot skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are a deep golden brown. Since there's no bone or skin, they will cook faster and may not get as dark. The goal here is to sear and build flavor, not to cook them all the way through.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
Sauté the Vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced sweet potatoes to the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and get some color.
Add the broccoli to the skillet with the sweet potatoes. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, until the broccoli is slightly tender. Season the vegetables with a little salt and pepper.
Add the Orzo and Liquids
Add the dry orzo to the skillet with the vegetables and stir to combine, toasting the pasta for about 1 minute.
Pour in the Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce. Stir well.
Pour in 1 to 1 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth. Stir again, making sure to scrape any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pan to add flavor.
Simmer and Finish
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the skillet on top of the orzo and vegetables.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid or foil, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente and the liquid has been mostly absorbed. Boneless chicken thighs will cook much more quickly than bone-in, so check for doneness after 10 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Uncover the skillet and let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta if desired.
Notes
If you don't want to make the pasta sauce from scratch you can use the Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce!