One-pot, sheet pan and skillet meals are the recipe darlings of the weeknight dinner world. They’re streamlined for efficiency, and there’s less to clean when mealtime is done. And when done right, they’re just as exciting and flavorful as more involved meals.

Exhibit A: this skillet orzo with diced chicken thighs, an entire package of baby spinach, tangy goat cheese and dried fruit that’s altogether comforting, savory, tangy and a little bit sweet.

You start by browning bite-size pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a skillet. (Thighs are the choice here over boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they’re hard to make tough and dry due to overcooking – and they have more flavor.) Next, shallot and garlic help lay the savory foundation.

One of the tricks this recipe employs to build flavor is toasting the orzo in the skillet, which makes it richer and nuttier. I call for a light toasting, but you can take it further until the uncooked pasta is a darker shade for even deeper flavor. This technique is easy to implement in one-pot meals but can be employed with any type of dried pasta in whatever dish you want to give more oomph.

Baby spinach adds nutrition – yay, vegetables! – and ribbons of green throughout a sea of beige and brown, and the orzo cooks in chicken stock until tender but not mushy. Fresh goat cheese gets stirred in at the end to combine with any remaining liquid for a saucy, creamy tang.

That’s where I initially stopped with the recipe. I tasted it and was content, so I typed it up and moved on to my next assignment. But now I can admit that I didn’t think the recipe was particularly special. It was just fine.

I kept finding myself thinking about the dish, wondering if there was a way I could elevate it from merely good to great. My goal with this column is to share recipes that I truly love, and that are worth your time, energy and money. My first version of the recipe needed a little something extra.

In the 11th hour, it finally came to me: dried fruit.

I grabbed some raisins from my pantry to add to the leftovers sitting in my fridge. (Raisins were what I had on hand, but any dried fruit will do.) With that first bite, I broke into an uncontrollable shoulder shimmy – this happens whenever I eat something delicious – and I knew I had nailed it. It was a reminder of one of the tenets of my recipe development philosophy: If at first a dish lacks excitement, introduce a new taste, texture or sensation. The sweetness of the dried fruit combined with the tangy sourness of the goat cheese filled the dish with intrigue. Something one-dimensional became multifaceted, and a recipe I am proud to share with you.

Skillet Orzo with Chicken, Spinach and Goat Cheese

Total time: 40 minutes

Serves 4 (about 6 cups)

This one-pot dinner of orzo, chicken, spinach and goat cheese is a weeknight wonder. It makes a simple yet satisfying supper with tangy, creamy goat cheese as the star. Raisins, or the dried fruit of your choice, add a pop of sweetness to balance it all out.

Storage note: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-size pieces

Fine salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 cup (8 ounces) dried orzo pasta

2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups no-salt-added or low-sodium chicken stock or broth

5 ounces baby spinach (5 cups)

1/2 cup raisins, dried cherries or other dried fruit

4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre)

DIRECTIONS

Pat the chicken dry and lightly season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken pieces in one layer and cook, without moving, until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots start to soften, about 2 minutes.

Add the orzo and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the stock or broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is almost al dente, about 10 minutes. Fold in the spinach and raisins and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts, the raisins soften, the orzo is al dente, and most of the stock has been absorbed, 2 to 5 minutes. (Keep in mind the pasta will continue to absorb more stock as it sits.)

Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese until completely melted. Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper as desired. Divide among the bowls and serve warm.

Substitutions:

In place of goat cheese try feta or cheddar.

For spinach, use any tender greens or peas.

Instead of orzo, try pearl couscous or ditalini.

Nutritional Facts per serving (1 1/2 cups): Calories: 613; Fat: 26 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 58 g; Sodium: 449 mg; Cholesterol: 142 mg; Protein: 42 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 13 g

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