Garlic Chicken with Orzo

This is one of our favorites! I usually use a lot more red pepper and garlic, because we are gluttons for punishment over here. You can easily use more spinach without killing the recipe, as well.

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Juice of one FRESH lemon
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the garlic and red pepper 1 minute, until garlic is golden brown. Stir in chicken, season with salt, and cook 2 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned and juices run clear.

Reduce heat to medium, and mix in the parsley and cooked orzo. Place spinach in the skillet. Squeeze lemon into pan. Continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.