Lemon Chicken Orzo
This is a creamy one-pot dinner that tastes like something you’d get at a nice restaurant but comes together in ~30 minutes. The lemon brightens everything up and the orzo gets perfectly tender cooking right in the sauce.
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Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion ~1 cup, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast or tenders diced to 1/2-inch pieces
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 1/3 cups whole milk room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
- 3 large lemons 1 1/2 Tbsp zest and 1/3 cup juice
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add diced onion and cook 5 minutes until golden, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add diced chicken, salt, and pepper, cooking 5-7 minutes until cooked through.
- Transfer chicken mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour for 1 minute.
- Whisk in Italian seasoning, then gradually add chicken broth and milk, stirring until smooth.
- Add uncooked orzo and stir to combine.
- Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer, then lower heat to maintain gentle simmer.
- Cook 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is almost tender and mixture looks slightly soupy.
- Return chicken mixture to pot with spinach, 1 1/4 cups Parmesan, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Stir until cheese melts and spinach wilts completely.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Add milk if too thick.
- Serve immediately topped with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Notes
Consistency should be creamy like risotto.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & let me know!