Julie Clark
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Lemon Chicken Orzo
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This Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta with creamy parmesan sauce is bright, cozy and comes together in under 30 minutes.
When you want dinner to feel a little special but need something quick, this lemon chicken orzo delivers. Tender chicken bites, creamy orzo, and a pop of lemon all come together in one skillet. It’s fresh without being fussy, exactly the kind of recipe you’ll keep in your back pocket for busy weeknights.
You’ll also love our chicken piccata pasta, ground sausage pasta and one pot sausage pasta.
The Dinner I Make When I Need Something Fast and Reliable
Every winter I start craving lemons. It reminds me of warmer, tropical weather. Dark Ohio days need something bright, and lemons do the trick! This winter I’ve made lemon chicken rice soup, lemon blueberry bread, lemon chicken sheet pan dinner and lemon blueberry cake. So fresh.
This lemon chicken orzo is my go-to when I need something quick. Orzo is a great quick-cooking pasta to work with because it is so small. I use it in our chicken and orzo recipe, orzo pasta salad, and orzo rice pilaf which makes a great side dish.
You can add more vegetables to this dish like peas or asparagus. Also if you like a really strong lemon flavor, you can add an additional tablespoon of fresh lemon juice at the end.
If you want to keep this creamy lemon chicken orzo on the lighter side, you can use whole milk instead of heavy cream. Or you can also just skip it altogether and just add some extra Parmesan cheese for creaminess.
Serve the lemon chicken pasta with a slice of asiago bread and steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus for a side.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients
I had chicken breasts on hand, but chicken thighs would also be excellent with this lemon chicken orzo recipe.
Fresh lemon juice is going to give the best flavor. You need that zest to bring it all out!
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
Lemon Chicken Orzo
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta with creamy parmesan sauce is bright, cozy and comes together in under 30 minutes.
Servings 4
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Toss the chicken pieces in salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, evenly coating all the chicken. Pour the olive oil into a large deep skillet, over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook them for about 4-5 minutes, browning both sides. Place on a plate and loosely cover with foil. 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Without washing the skillet, add the garlic and orzo and stir for about 30 seconds. 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic, 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and stir into the orzo. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the orzo is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Most of the liquids will absorb. 2 cups chicken broth
- Over low heat, add the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, stirring until everything is combined. ½ cup heavy cream, Zest of 1 lemon, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add the spinach and butter and stir until the spinach has wilted and butter has melted. 1 cup chopped fresh spinach, 2 tablespoons salted butter
- Place the chicken back into the skillet and mix so that the sauce coats the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes until all the flavors have combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from heat and plate, sprinkling fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan over the top. Fresh parsley
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being ¼ of the pasta. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 678kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 1543mg | Potassium: 1068mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1617IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 2mg
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo: Step by Step
Cook the chicken until it is mostly done. Toss the chicken pieces in salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder, evenly coating all the chicken. Pour the olive oil into a large deep skillet, over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook them for about 4-5 minutes, browning both sides. Place on a plate and loosely cover with foil.
Sauté the orzo. Without washing the skillet, add the garlic and orzo and stir for about 30 seconds.Â
Cook the orzo. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and stir into the orzo. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the orzo is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Most of the liquids will absorb.Â
Make the creamy sauce. Over low heat, add the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning, stirring until everything is combined. Add the spinach and butter and stir until the spinach has wilted and butter has melted.Â
Assemble and top the lemon chicken orzo pasta. Place the chicken back into the skillet and mix so that the sauce coats the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes until all the flavors have combined. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan.
