A brighter, herb-forward plate closed out the year’s cooking around Mobile Bay: Mediterranean chicken and broccoli orzo with feta and black olives, paired with the offbeat action-comedy American Ultra.
In the kitchen
The dish balanced lean protein, vegetables and a tangy tapenade. The cook gathered two boneless, skinless chicken breasts, four ounces of orzo, sour cream, feta, black olives, broccoli, red wine vinegar, garlic and oregano.
- Broccoli. Chopped into bite-size pieces and roasted at 450 degrees for fifteen minutes.
- Chicken. Patted dry, seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano, and cooked six minutes a side in olive oil.
- Orzo and tapenade. The pasta boiled eight minutes; chopped olives and garlic were mixed with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. The drained orzo was tossed with the roasted broccoli, sour cream, feta and remaining vinegar.
The chicken was served over the pasta and finished with the olive tapenade, a fresh, satisfying plate to cap a long week.
On the screen
The feature was American Ultra, directed by Nima Nourizadeh, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart with Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman and Tony Hale. The story follows a small-town convenience-store clerk, hobbled by anxiety, who discovers he is a trained sleeper agent after a mysterious woman activates him, just as a government hit squad decides he is a loose end.
The reviewers found the comic action romp very entertaining, praising the cast’s work across the board, and handed it two thumbs up for a fun night in.