Easy Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe
This easy lemon chicken orzo recipe is delicious and hassle free! Tender chicken, creamy orzo and zesty lemon are combined for a quick and satisfying meal.
Pasta is one of those pantry staples that most of us have. The most common ones that we stock are usually spaghetti or elbow macaroni, but have you tried orzo?
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If you are unfamiliar with orzo, it is a small rice-shaped pasta. It is a great choice to use when you have small children, because you don’t have to cut it up. I really like using it in soups too.
Today’s lemon orzo chicken makes great use of this small pasta. This simple recipe is a perfect example of a one-pot meal, which happens to be my favorite kind of cooking.
The fresh lemon juice adds such a wonderfully bright flavor to this dish too. I like it so much that I always serve this meal with extra lemon wedges on the side.
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Supplies
- Skillet, griddle or non-stick pan – I really like this white granite non stick pan set, it’s pretty and functional!
- Large sized mixing bowl – this pyrex set is my go-to.
- Measuring cups and spoons – these ones are awesome!
- Rubber spatula or tongs – for flipping and tossing.
Recipe Details
Prep: 5 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total: 30 mins
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 cups orzo
- 2 tbsp onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup white cooking wine
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a pan and heat over medium high heat.
2. Season chicken with salt, black and white pepper (or just black pepper), garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
3. Add your seasoned chicken to the pan with the oil.
4. Cook on both sides until browned, and the internal temperature reaches 160 F, about 4-5 min per side.
5. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
6. Add in the onions and garlic.
7. Saute for 1.5-2 mins, until fragrant.
8. Pour in the white wine and give everything a bit of a stir. You want to get all of the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.
9. Add in the chicken broth and orzo.
10. Stir everything so that the pasta is well coated. Reduce the heat of your pan to medium heat.
11. Stir every 2 min to make sure orzo doesn’t stick.
12. Cook pasta for 7 mins, then add in the cream and parmesan cheese.
13. Stir together and let simmer until orzo is tender (about 5-7 mins).
14. Add the lemon juice and parsley.
15. Stir to incorporate.
16. Return the chicken to the pan, stir and enjoy.
Alternate Ingredients
While the recipe is amazing as directed, try some of these suggestions to mix it up.
- Add lemon zest or red pepper flakes.
- Try using rotisserie chicken, boneless skinless chicken thighs, chicken sausage, or chicken cutlets.
- Add in more fresh herbs like fresh dill or fresh basil.
- Include some extra veggies. Try cherry tomatoes, asparagus, or bell peppers.
- Substitute low-fat milk or skim milk for the cream, though this may affect the final product.
Tips and Tricks
- To get more from this meal, cut up the chicken into chunks to make it go further and stretch your dollars.
- The best way to determine whether your meat is fully cooked is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. In this case, the internal temperature of the chicken should reach 160 F.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Give this lemon chicken orzo recipe a try the next time you are looking for a quick weeknight dinner. It is one the whole family will love.
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Recipe
Lemon Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut into strips
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika optional
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 cups orzo
- 2 tbsp onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup white cooking wine
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a pan and heat over medium high heat.
- Season chicken with salt, black and white pepper (or just black pepper), garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Add your seasoned chicken to the pan with the oil.
- Cook on both sides until browned, and the internal temperature reaches 160 F, about 4-5 min per side.
- Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add in the onions and garlic.
- Saute for 1.5-2 mins, until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and give everything a bit of a stir. You want to get all of the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.
- Add in the chicken broth and orzo.
- Stir everything so that the pasta is well coated. Reduce the heat of your pan to medium heat.
- Stir every 2 min to make sure orzo doesn’t stick.
- Cook pasta for 7 mins, then add in the cream and parmesan cheese.
- Stir together and let simmer until orzo is tender (about 5-7 mins).
- Add the lemon juice and parsley.
- Stir to incorporate.
- Return the chicken to the pan, stir and enjoy.
Nutrition
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