Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo

By ruhroh

Serve this easy but impressive meal with a green salad, garlic bread, and a crisp white wine. Tip: Sear the scallops while the orzo cooks.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup prechopped onion
• 1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Details

Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in pasta, broth, wine, and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente. Stir in chopped chives and lemon juice. Keep warm.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with salt and pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with pasta mixture.