Recipe: Skillet Shrimp with Orzo, Feta and Asparagus

Remember last week when I teased you with some of the awesomely delicious recipes that I'd tried out? Well, I'm sharing one of them with you today, lucky!

Skillet Shrimp with Orzo, Feta and Asparagus (and cherry tomatoes)

Of course, I found it from my normal place: the magical land of Pinterest, which directed me to the original recipe website!

I could easily see doing quinoa instead of the orzo if you wanted to eliminate the pasta part.

What You Need:

-1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
-1 1/2 Tbsp oil (I used olive oil, original recipe calls for vegetable or canola)
-2 tsp minced garlic (from jar)
-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
-1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
-1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
-4 Tbsp lemon juice (I used 2 lemons for this amount)
-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
-1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (I used about 2 Tbsp of the dried kind)
-about 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (optional, but I recommend)
-salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:

1. Fill a large skillet about 2/3 of the way with water. Add salt to the water and boil. Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Using the same skillet, add the oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add in the garlic and chili flakes and cook, stirring around, for about 1 minute. Add in the asparagus (and cherry tomatoes, if you're using them), and season with salt and pepper.

Coat the asparagus and cherries in the oil and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until asparagus is cooked through, but still semi-crisp.

3. Move the asparaus/tomatoes to the side, and add the shrimp to the pan, cooking until pink, about 4 minutes

4. Add the orzo back into the pan and stir. Add in most of the basil, the lemon juice, 1Tbsp olive oil, and the feta. Mix to combine

5. Top with any remaining basil (or salt and pepper, but I don't think you'll need any extra) and serve!

We reeeeeally liked this dish. It has just a touch of heat, but the cherry tomatoes add some sauce and help combine the flavors together. The asparagus was cooked perfectly through, too!