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Recipe  •  8 April 2025

 

High-Protein Prawn and Chorizo Orzo

This tasty pasta dish from The Good Bite is packed with 28.9g of protein and is well under 500 calories. With plump prawns, smoky chorizo and creamy orzo, it's winner of a healthy midweek dinner.

This an amazing quick-and-easy, one-pan recipe. The orzo cooks in that rich and creamy chorizo sauce, just like a risotto, with smoky paprika and gentle heat. We chuck in prawns just before serving, reminding me almost of a paella.

SERVES: 2
PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • low-carolie cooking spray
  • 35g chorizo, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 150gr orzo
  • A pinch of chilli flakes
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 150ml chicken stock
  • 200ml skimmed milk
  • 100gr raw king prawns, peeled
  • A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 15gr parmesan, grated, plus a little extra for garnishing
  • 2 wedges of lemon

METHOD

  1. Heat a few sprays of low-calorie cooking spray in a large, non-stick pan and cook the chorizo on low-medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the chorizo has released its oils and is crispy. Remove and set aside.

  2. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the chorizo oil for 3–4 minutes over a medium heat until soft, then add the orzo, chilli flakes and smoked paprika. Increase the heat to high and toast the orzo and spices for 2 minutes before adding the chicken stock, milk and cooked chorizo (reserving 2 tablespoons of chorizo for garnishing) to the pan.

  3. Bring the pan to a low simmer and cook the orzo risotto-style over a medium heat for 10–15 minutes – you want it gently simmering but not bubbling aggressively. If the sauce reduces too quickly before the orzo is cooked, add a splash of boiling water and repeat this until the orzo is cooked and you are left with a creamy sauce.

  4. Roughly 2 minutes before the orzo is fully cooked, stir in the prawns, parsley and Parmesan and cook over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the prawns are pink, then remove the pan from the heat. Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining chorizo and Parmesan and serving with a wedge of lemon.

Cals: 451
Carbs: 58.6g
Protein: 28.9g
Fat: 11.1g

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