This One Pot Lemon Chicken and Orzo is something to make a meal out of. Perfectly seasoned chicken comes together with orzo in a cream sauce that has just the right amount of lemon.
I’ve been on a one-pot recipe kick lately, and I think you are going to absolutely love this one. It is a chicken and pasta recipe that has a cream sauce with just a hint of lemon to it. Not only is this dinner recipe easy to make, but putting it together in one pan makes clean-up a breeze, too.
Why This Recipe Works
- Layers of flavor: This recipe gets loads of flavor in each step. In the first step we sear seasoned chicken. Then we melt butter in that same pan, adding in onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Finally, we scrape up those browned bits, deglazing the pan with chicken broth and we add in both lemon juice and lemon zest.
- The combination of chicken broth and heavy cream: Using heavy cream brings a richness to the dish that makes it taste luxurious. Balancing that with using chicken broth keeps the dish from being overly heavy.
- Cooking the orzo in the broth cream combo: Perhaps my favorite aspect of the dish is that we are cooking the orzo pasta in the broth and cream, which allows it to really absorb that flavor, plus all the other layers of flavor that came before them.
- It’s all done in one pot: Not only does this make the dish extremely convenient, it really helps marry all the flavors so everything is rich, balanced, and cohesive.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo
Below is a brief overview of how this creamy chicken orzo recipe comes together. For the full recipe, including all ingredients and their measurements, scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Cook the Chicken
Pat the chicken dry. Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then cook in a skillet until lightly browned on both sides. Remove it from the pan and cut into strips.
Make the Sauce
Sauté the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes until the onion is soft, then stir in the chicken broth. Whisk in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest, followed by the orzo, and bring everything to a simmer.
Put it All Together
Stir in the Parmesan cheese so it melts into the dish. Then stir in the fresh spinach, allowing it to wilt. Return the sliced chicken to the skillet and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
Pounding Chicken Thin
One of the reasons this recipe works is that we are pounding the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness before searing it. This cuts down on the overall cook time of the dish and allows the chicken to cook through without the exterior burning. It also only takes a minute or two to do, and is a great way to get out the stress of the day.
Use plastic wrap: Putting plastic wrap both under and over the chicken while pounding it keeps bacteria from spreading around your kitchen, but it also prevents the chicken from tearing.
Meat mallet or rolling pin: If you don’t have a meat mallet, simply use a rolling pin.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot: Both need to be hot, but not smoking, when you add the chicken.
- Pat the chicken dry: If your chicken doesn’t sear well, it could be because the chicken wasn’t dry to start. This can result in the chicken getting steamed rather than seared.
- Turn the heat down: After the chicken cooks, but before adding the butter, onion, and garlic, make sure to turn down the heat. This will prevent them from burning when you add them.
- Stir well: After the orzo is added to the pan, do not forget to occasionally stir the pot, making sure to get the bottom so the orzo does not stick.
- Shred your own cheese: A key to the cheese melting well into the sauce is to skip over the pre-shredded cheese. It is coated in preservatives and therefore doesn’t melt well.
- Balance the flavors: At the end, taste the dish and adjust things as needed. This is the point to add more salt or pepper. If the dish feels too heavy, add another small squeeze of lemon juice. If the lemon flavor is too strong, you can add another splash of heavy cream to balance it.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover chicken and orzo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or a small saucepan over low heat until heated through. Always use your best judgment when storing and reheating leftovers.
If you make this Lemon Chicken Orzo recipe or any of my other recipes, leave a comment and let me know what you think!
One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin, about 1/2 an inch thick, see note 1 (453.6 grams)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- dash freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- juice of one lemon
- zest of one lemon
- 1 1/2 cups dry orzo 286 grams
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and then season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on both sides. Cook the chicken in the hot skillet until lightly browned on both sides, about five minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Allow to cool slightly and then cut into slices.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dash freshly ground black pepper
- While waiting for the chicken to cool, turn the heat down to medium and add the butter to the pan. Add in the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion is soft, about three to five minutes.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 small yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Stir in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Then whisk in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir in the orzo and bring everything to a simmer. Cover and cook the orzo for 15 minutes, making sure to get the bottom of the pan, so the orzo does not stick.2 cups chicken broth, 1 1/2 cup heavy cream, zest of one lemon, 1 1/2 cups dry orzo, juice of one lemon
- Stir in the Parmesan and allow it to melt. Then stir in the spinach one cup at a time, allowing it to wilt. Taste the dish and add more salt and pepper as needed. If it is too rich, add another splash of lemon juice. If it is too lemony, add a bit more heavy cream. Return the chicken to the skillet and garnish with parsley.1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 cups baby spinach
Notes
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