Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

Preparation

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

Nutrition

Per serving: 454 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 70 mg cholesterol; 54 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 8 g fiber; 674 mg sodium; 595 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Magnesium (31% daily value), Vitamin C (23% dv), Iron (20% dv), Potassium (17% dv), Zinc (16% dv)

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat