Description
A comforting one-pan meal featuring tender chicken, creamy sauce, and perfectly cooked orzo pasta, enhanced with fresh lemon and herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken.
- Sauté the chicken for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown, then remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add butter, onion, and cook until soft for 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and orzo, cooking for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, then add lemon zest, juice, thyme, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Simmer gently, stirring occasionally.
- Return cooked chicken to the skillet and cook uncovered for about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley, taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve warm, garnished with parsley and lemon slices.
Notes
For leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo, chicken recipe, quick dinner, one-pan meal, pasta dish, weeknight dinner, lemon chicken