Lemon Pepper Tenders with Herbed Orzo & Cucumber Salad

Name: Lemon Pepper Tenders with Herbed Orzo & Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 200 g Chicken tenders; Lemon (zested & wedged) × 1; 1 tsp Cracked black pepper; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 2 tbsp Fresh parsley; 2 g Salt; 80 g Orzo; 10 g Butter; Cucumber × ½; 80 g Cherry tomatoes

30 min · Easy · Serves 1

840 kcal per serving · 59g protein

Pan-cooked lemon and pepper chicken tenders over buttered herbed orzo, with a cucumber and tomato salad alongside.

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Ingredients

200 g Chicken tenders
Lemon (zested & wedged) × 1
1 tsp Cracked black pepper
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Fresh parsley
2 g Salt
80 g Orzo
10 g Butter
Cucumber × ½
80 g Cherry tomatoes

Method

Boil the orzo

Bring a pot of water to the boil, add a little of the listed salt and cook the orzo according to the packet, usually 8–10 minutes. Stir occasionally, then drain.
Make the cucumber salad

Cut the cucumber into thick half-moons and halve the cherry tomatoes. Toss them in a bowl with half the olive oil, a squeeze of the lemon and a pinch of salt, and leave the bowl on the side.
Season the tenders

Pat the tenders dry. Season with some of the listed salt and pepper, then rub with half the lemon zest; keep the remaining zest for the orzo.
Heat Pan

Heat the remaining half of the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
Sear Tenders

Add the tenders in a single layer and cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side, until golden. Cook in batches if the pan is crowded.
Flip and Finish

Turn and cook for another 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest part reaches 74°C. Rest on a warm plate for 2 minutes.
Dress the orzo

Stir the butter, half the parsley and the remaining lemon zest through the warm drained orzo until the butter has melted into it. Season with salt and a good grind of pepper.
Plate and Garnish

Spoon the herbed orzo loosely onto plates, lay the rested tenders partly over it and spoon the cucumber and tomato salad beside them. Add a lemon wedge and the remaining parsley without covering the chicken.