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Top down shot of the chickpea orzo in a white bowl loaded with mushrooms and bell peppers.

One Skillet Toasted Garlic and Chickpea Orzo

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  • Author: Catherine Perez
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This Chickpea Orzo Skillet includes orzo that has been simmered in a broth flavored with smoked paprika, adobo, herbs and sautéed garlic.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1, 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp adobo seasoning, divided (I used Loisa)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1 red pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 1/2 cups dry orzo
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 5 sprigs of thyme or 1/2 tsp dry thyme
  • 3 cups vegetable broth

Extras (optional)

  • Spinach
  • Cilantro
  • Olives

Instructions

  1. Add half your oil to a large skillet and set over medium heat to warm through. Dry your chickpeas in a kitchen towel and once the oil is warm, add in your chickpeas, fennel seeds and 1/2 tsp of adobo seasoning. Stir your chickpeas occasionally until they are slightly browned and golden, and then set aside.
  2. To the same pan add in your onions and mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and sauté until the onions have become translucent.
  3. Add in the remaining oil and add in your garlic and artichoke hearts, sautéing for a minute to allow the garlic to become golden and fragrant. 
  4. Stir in your peppers, allowing to cook for another minute then add in your orzo along with the remaining seasonings (including the remaining 1/2 tsp of adobo). Toss to coat and toast your orzo for about 2-3 minutes, allowing the herbs and spice to become fragrant. 
  5. Pour in your vegetable broth and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Allow the orzo to cook for 15 minutes uncovered until the orzo is al dente. If your mixture appears to be boiling, reduce the heat to ensure it is at a rapid simmer.  
  6. Once the orzo has absorbed most of the liquid, you can add in a few handfuls of spinach if desired.  Allow the spinach to wilt then remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste. 
  7. Top your orzo with the toasted chickpeas and serve.

Notes

Toast your orzo before simmering. I like to toast the orzo in the pan for a few minutes to give it a nutty flavor before throwing in the broth.

Use a medium-low heat to continuously simmer your orzo. This will help maintain the perfect condition for cooking your orzo all the way through. No need to cover your pan while simmering, you do want the liquid to cook off.

The oil in this dish helps to prevent the orzo from sticking together. It also helps make the ingredients more fragrant and infuse more flavor into the dish.