Lemon Chicken Orzo (Printable Version)
Creamy orzo, chicken, lemon, Parmesan, and spinach come together for an easy one-pan Mediterranean dinner bursting with flavor.
# Everything You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 -
Juice from 1 lemon
02 -
2 chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and with skin taken off
03 -
Zest from 1 lemon
04 -
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
05 -
0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
06 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
07 -
0.5 teaspoon salt
08 -
3 garlic cloves, chopped small
→ Orzo and Sauce
09 -
25 grams Parmesan cheese, finely grated
10 -
0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 -
0.5 teaspoon salt
12 -
200 grams orzo pasta
13 -
480 milliliters chicken stock
14 -
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
15 -
30 grams fresh spinach leaves, can skip
→ Garnish
16 -
Chopped parsley leaves
17 -
A shake of red pepper flakes if you want a kick
# Steps to Cook:
01 -
Take the skillet off the burner and give it a short break. Top with parsley, lemon zest, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you're feeling spicy. Dish it up right away.
02 -
Mix in the lemon juice, a hunk of butter, the Parmesan, and the spinach (if you're adding it). Stir until the spinach just starts to wilt, maybe 1-2 minutes.
03 -
Snuggle the browned chicken back into the pan with the orzo. Cover things up and let it cook about 10-12 minutes till the orzo's tender and the chicken is cooked all the way through.
04 -
Pour the rest of the olive oil and all that chopped garlic into the same pan. Sizzle it for about 30 seconds till you can smell it. Toss in the orzo, toast it a bit while stirring, then add in chicken broth, salt, and a bit of pepper. Stir again and let it start bubbling.
05 -
Heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil in a big frying pan over medium-high. Coat the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Brown on both sides for about 3-4 minutes each, then take the chicken out and put it somewhere safe for a minute.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
If you want deeper flavor, freshly grate the Parmesan and squeeze the lemon right before you toss them in.