Rosemary Chicken Meatballs with Tomato Orzo

This recipe is a 10 out of 10 every time. Heavenly both the first night, and for leftoevers. The meatballs have just the right amount of heat and big punchy flavor from the sundried tomatoes and rosemary. The creamy orzo is lovely with hits of parm, deep tomato flavor, and more rosemary. Even my tomato-hating husband high-fived this one. It's been a favorite for so long I'm not sure where I got the original recipe, but this is my favorite way to make it.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

2oz fresh French Baguette

1/2 cup warm water

2 TBS butter

1 shallot, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 LB ground chicken

1/2 cup grated parm

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 TBS chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Orzo:

1 TBS butter

1 TBS sun-dried tomato oil

1 sprig rosemary

1 shallot, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup orzo

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 oz fresh spinach

1/4 cup parm cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 and prepare sheet pan with parchment and rack

2. Put diced bread in a bowl with warm water and set aside

3. Cook shallot & garlic in butter until cooked, then add garlic powder & red pepper, stir and turn off heat

4. In large bowl, add chicken, parmesan, sun dried tomatoes, parsley, rosemary, salt and shallot mixture

5. Form 16 meatballs, rolling tightly and place on brack in sheet pan. Drizzle each one with olive oil and back 30 mins until golden & cooked thru

6. While meatballs bake, wipe out shallot skillet and add butter & tomato oil. Add rosemary sprig and crisp on both sides.

7. Remove rosemary and add shallots, garlic, pinch of salt, and cook until shallots are cooked

8. Stir in tomato past & red pepper until tomato past is dissolved

9. Stir in white wine & orzo and cook 2 mins stirring

10. Add chicken stock & simmer until orzo is cooked - about 15 mins, stirring often to avoid sticking

11. Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Add parm and let melt befor stirring in. Add spinach and fold until spinach is wilted. Season with salt as needed

12. Serve 3-5 meatballs per plate of orzo