This air fryer orzo is basically a full dinner loaded into one dish: pasta, chickpeas, broccoli, spinach, and onion all cook together in vegetable broth. I like chickpeas here because they hold their texture during the longer cooking time, while the broccoli softens and the spinach disappears right into the pasta. Turmeric gives the orzo some color, and chili lime and lemon pepper keep the flavor from feeling flat. It also scales easily depending on how many people I'm feeding, which matters quite a bit in a family of six. The chickpeas add plant-based protein, fiber, and iron, while the broccoli and spinach bring vitamin C, folate, and plenty of other micronutrients. The orzo adds the carbs and more plant protein that make the whole thing filling and satisfying, so it works really well as a complete family meal. Not every grain works in an air-fryer, but I've learned from trial and error, that starchy grains adsorb fluids and cooks evenly, so my top favorite for an air-fryer meal base are the pearl couscous and orzo, both of which are essentially made of wheat. If you are looking for a gluten-free meal, use a GF version of this pasta, or another kind that is small enough to get a consistent texture across the ingredients in this recipe.