Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo

We had this tasty combination for dinner tonight.  The lemon orzo was really good, and if you don't like scallops, it would go well with another mild fish or with chicken.  I served this with a green salad with oranges and gorgonzola cheese and Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette and it all went rather nicely together. 

Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo

1 -2 tsp. olive oil or cooking spray

1/2 cup onion, minced

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tsp olive oil, OR coat with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in pasta, broth, 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.
2. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large 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.

Recipe altered slightly from cookinglight.com