Let’s cook this delicious one-pan meal:

1. Prepare and Sear Chicken:

• Pat chicken tenderloins dry. Season them with paprika, Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
• Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the seasoned chicken tenderloins to the hot skillet. Sear for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown but not necessarily cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.

2. Sauté Aromatics and Toast Orzo:

• Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the same skillet (don’t wipe it out!). Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the uncooked orzo to the skillet. Stir constantly and toast the orzo for about 2 minutes until it smells nutty and turns slightly golden. This step enhances the orzo’s flavor.

3. Cook Orzo:

• Pour in the chicken stock and add the 1/4 tsp salt. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Bring the liquid to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet tightly with a lid, and let the orzo cook for 5-8 minutes, or until it has absorbed most of the liquid and softened. Stir occasionally during this time to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

4. Add Spinach and Cream:

• Add the fresh spinach to the skillet. Stir it into the orzo until the spinach wilts down, which will take about 2-3 minutes.
• Pour in the heavy cream. Add the dried basil and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together well.

5. Finish Chicken and Sauce:

• Return the seared chicken (and any juices from the plate) back into the pan, nestling it into the creamy orzo mixture.
• Cover the skillet again and let it simmer on low heat for 2-5 minutes, just until the chicken is heated through and fully cooked.
• Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted into the sauce.

6. Serve: Serve immediately, ensuring each portion gets chicken, creamy orzo, and sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

A delicious one-pan meal ready relatively quickly!