Mediterranean Salmon and Orzo Skillet
This mediterranean salmon and orzo skillet cooks up in 30 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It’s flavorful, packed with protein and so easy to make!
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry orzo pasta
- ½ oz pine nuts
- 1 bunch swiss chard
- ½ cup roasted red bell peppers roughly chopped
- ¼ cup jarred artichoke hearts roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medjool date chopped into ¼-inch pieces
- 2 ½ Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 6 oz salmon fillets
- ½ teaspoon salt divided, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ lemon sliced for serving
- Feta for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo to boiling water. Cook according to the package instructions, until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain orzo; shake off excess water. Return to pot. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Stir to coat.
- Place pine nuts in a medium dry oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Toast 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant, shaking pan frequently.
- Transfer pine nuts to a cutting board to cool. Once cool, roughly chop them and set aside.
- Remove and discard any thick center stems from green chard. Roughly chop leaves into bite-size pieces.
- Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Heat 1 ½ Tablespoons oil in pan used for pine nuts over medium-high heat. Add salmon to hot pan, skin-side up. Sear for about 3 minutes.
- Flip salmon. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for about 5-7 minutes, or until salmon is fully cooked.
- While salmon is baking, cook veggies. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chard, roasted red peppers, artichokes and garlic to hot pan. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until chard has wilted, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer orzo to pan with veggies. Add dates, chopped basil and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide orzo with veggies between plates. Top with salmon. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each plate. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and feta, if using. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth to keep the orzo from drying out. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/2 of recipe (w/o feta) | Calories: 626kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1306mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g