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READY IN 30 mins

Orzo and Rice

Read Reviews (131)

"A filling side dish that is great with chicken. It is a real family favorite in our house." — C.Crane

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 4 to 6 servings Change Servings

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 cup long-grain white rice

1 cube chicken bouillon
2 cups water

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Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add orzo and brown until golden.
Add rice, bouillon, and water; bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to medium-low.
Simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes or until all water is absorbed; serve.

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PREP 5 mins
COOK 25 mins
READY IN 30 mins

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Some reviewers have called this bland - I say it's mild, which sometimes is just what is called for to complement what it's served with. If this were a main dish I might agree it would be missing something substantial, but as a side dish it complemented, rather than competed with, the main dish. That said, I still "enhanced" it just a bit - I browned the rice along with the orzo, cooked it in chicken broth as well as the bouillon, and added another couple of tablespoons of butter and a tiny pinch of saffron. Just before serving I stirred in a little chopped fresh parsley for freshness and color. A really enjoyable side dish that's bound to make its way to my table again.

—naples34102

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jan 08, 2007

Waaaaay too bland as written! Potentially easy to improve though. Next time I'd take the other reviewer's advice and add sauteed onion, minced garlic, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, slivered almonds, salt, and pepper. When I get around to that, I'll post my own recipe. =)

—JUMAHA

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163 Ratings

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Jan 05, 2007

This is like a cheap low salt version of RiceARoni. I've used vegetable and beef bullion and both were good. I browned a small chopped onion in the butter before the pasta, and added extra parmasan cheese. This is the sort of side dish that could be edited to match pretty much any main dish. And it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan like other rice dishes. I'll be making this again for sure.

—Jamie

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Jul 23, 2003

After reading the other reviews, I doubled the bouillon. This was good, but next time I will even add more bouillon.

—NJSS2000

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Jan 18, 2011

This was a nice change from regular rice. I did make some alterations to the recipe after reading the reviews. 1. 2 tsp of butter and olive oil to brown the orzo 2. Used low sodium chicken stock instead of the chicken cubes 3. Added some shredded carrots,1 small diced onion,2 cloves of chopped garlic and about 7 medium chopped mushrooms. All of these were sauteed after I browned the orzo. Then I added the rice and stock. 4. Added just a sprinkle of garlic salt and some dried parsley for color. With these changes this is a definate 5 star recipe. Need I say that I will be making again!

—NainInCandia

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Feb 02, 2011

We really enjoyed this side dish!! I doubled the recipe because I always make extra rice to have for later meals. I also added about .5 tspn of italian seasoning to the browning orzo step. I don't ever buy rice a roni, and I think I've eaten it once in my life,but I LOVED this recipe!! The orzo makes it almost creamy,and makes "rice“ so much better! I also plan on making it often! Thank you for the recipe!

—maria r s

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Feb 09, 2004

Great side dish. I used chicken broth instead of the boullion and water, and sauted a little onion and minced garlic with the rice. We enjoyed this change from our usual white rice.

—SweetBasil

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Oct 21, 2003

This was really good. I cut the butter to 1 T. and increased the rice/orzo to 3/4 c. each, with 3 c. of canned low-salt chicken broth (what I had on hand). The butter adds a lot of flavor - and 1 T. is plenty.

—Cook from LA

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Nutrition

Calories
192 kcal
10%

Carbohydrates
31.7 g
10%

Cholesterol
12 mg
4%

Fat
5.1 g
8%

Fiber
0.9 g
4%

Protein
4.6 g
9%

Sodium
265 mg
11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Orzo and Rice

Serving Size: 1/5 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 5
Amount Per Serving
** Calories: 192
** Calories from Fat: 46

% Daily Value *
** Total Fat 5.1g 8 %
** Saturated Fat 3.1g 15 %
** Cholesterol 12mg 4 %
** Sodium 265mg 11 %
** Potassium 59mg 2 %
** Total Carbohydrates 31.7g 10 %
** Dietary Fiber 0.9g 4 %
** Protein 4.6g 9 %
** Sugars 1g
** Vitamin A 3 %
** Vitamin C < 1 %
** Calcium 2 %
** Iron 15 %
** Thiamin 11 %
** Niacin 18 %
** Vitamin B6 2 %
** Magnesium 6 %
** Folate 51 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.