Shrimp with Orzo and Peas

I found this recipe (well sort of!) in my new 29 Minutes to Dinner cookbook from the Pampered Chef.  The original recipe was a little different.  I immediately swapped out ingredients I wasn’t crazy about (clam juice) and I knew my family would not eat (mint).

Tonight was t-ball practice so I measured out all of the ingredients before leaving the house.  This way when I came home, everything was ready to go for a quick dinner.

The Recipe

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp sugar
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine  (the original recipe called for clam juice)
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz orzo
1 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon zest, grated
1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped (the original recipe called for mint)

In a large bowl, toss shrimp with salt, pepper, and sugar.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook shrimp for 3 minutes.  Turn shrimp and remove from heat.  Let stand for another 1 minute, or until shrimp turn pink and are opaque.  Remove shrimp from skillet.

Add broth, wine, orzo, and garlic to the skillet.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook on medium-low for 10-12 minutes, or until orzo is cooked.  Return shrimp to skillet, add peas, butter, and lemon juice.  Cover and let stand for 3-5 minutes or until heated through.  Remove from heat and top with grated lemon zest and parsley.

Is it a Keeper?

YUM!  This was fantastic!  It was also very fast to make and only used one pot (double bonus!).  The orzo was really creamy with just a hint of garlic and the perfect amount of lemon flavor.

I will definitely be adding this recipe to my quick dinner idea box!  Since I had everything pre-measured, it only took about 20 minutes to prepare the meal!

We ended up topping the dish with freshly grated parmesan cheese!  YUM!

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