Okay, Let’s Talk Lemon Chicken Orzo!
Right, gather round folks, because I need to tell you about this Lemon Chicken Orzo. Honestly, it’s become my ‘what on earth do I make for dinner?!’ lifesaver. I remember the first time I tried making something similar, it was a bit of a disaster – bland chicken, mushy orzo, the works. Proper grim. But after a few tweaks (and maybe one slightly burnt pan incident, shhh), this version? *Chef’s kiss*. It’s bright, it’s comforting, it’s surprisingly easy, and it makes me feel like I actually know what I’m doing in the kitchen, even on a Tuesday night.
Why This is Probably Going to Be Your New Favourite
- It’s Fast-ish: Look, it’s not instant noodles, but for something that tastes this good, it comes together pretty sharpish. Perfect for when you’re knackered after work.
- One Pan Wonder (mostly): Okay, you *do* need to cook the orzo separately first, but the main action happens in one big skillet or pot. Fewer dishes? Yes please. I hate washing up with a passion.
- Sunshine on a Plate: That lemon flavour just cuts through everything and makes it taste so fresh and zesty. It’s like sunshine, but edible. My kids actually eat this without complaining (a minor miracle).
- Uses Up Leftovers Nicely: Got some leftover roast chicken? Chuck it in! Makes it even quicker. (Though cooking the chicken fresh adds a lovely flavour base).
What You’ll Need (Give or Take)
Don’t stress too much about exact amounts for some things, cooking should be fun, right?
- Chicken: About 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs have more flavour, just saying! Cut into bite sized pieces.
- Orzo Pasta: Around 1.5 cups (about 250g or so?). My Nonna swore by Barilla, but honestly, any brand works fine.
- Chicken Broth: 4 cups. Low sodium is usually best so you can control the salt.
- Lemon: You’ll need the zest AND juice form one large lemon. Maybe two if they’re small or you *really* love lemon.
- Garlic: 3-4 cloves, minced. Or more. I never measure garlic properly, just whack a load in.
- Onion: 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped. Or a shallot if you’re feeling fancy.
- Spinach: A big handful or two of fresh baby spinach. It looks like loads but wilts down to nothing.
- Parmesan Cheese: About 1/2 cup, grated. Plus more for serving, obviously. Get the real stuff if you can, not the dusty stuff in a shaker.
- Olive Oil: A good glug for cooking.
- Butter: 1-2 tablespoons. Adds a nice richness at the end.
- Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon.
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To taste. Go easy on the salt at first, the broth and cheese add quite a bit.
- Optional Goodies: Pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick? Some fresh dill or parsley stirred in at the end? Sun dried tomatoes? Go wild!
Right Then, Let’s Get Cooking!
- Cook the Orzo: Get your orzo cooking in salted boiling water according to the package directions, BUT undercook it by about 2 minutes. It’ll finish cooking in the sauce later. Drain it and maybe toss with a tiny bit of olive oil to stop it sticking. Set aside.
- Chicken Time: While the orzo cooks, heat a good glug of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven (one with high-ish sides is good) over medium high heat. Season your chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot pan – don’t crowd it! Cook for a few minutes per side until golden brown and *mostly* cooked through. It’ll finish cooking later too, so don’t worry if its still slightly pink inside. Scoop the chicken out onto a plate and set aside.
- Aromatics Base: Lower the heat to medium. Add another splash of oil if needed, then toss in the chopped onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes until it starts to soften and get a bit translucent. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano (and red pepper flakes if using!) and cook for another minute until you can really smell it. Mmm, garlic. This is usually where I sneak a taste of something…
- Liquid Magic: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits form the bottom of the pan – that’s pure flavour! Bring it to a simmer.
- Lemon Zest Power: Stir in the lemon zest. Save the juice for later. Let it bubble away gently for a couple of minutes.
- Orzo Reunion: Add the partially cooked orzo back into the pan with the broth. Stir it all together. Let it simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5-8 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. It should look creamy. Don’t worry if it looks a bit soupy still, it thickens as it sits.
- Bring Back the Chicken: Add the cooked chicken (and any juices from the plate!) back into the pan. Stir it through just to heat it up.
- Finishing Touches: Turn off the heat. Now stir in the lemon juice, the butter (if using, which you should), and the Parmesan cheese. Stir stir stir until the butter melts and the cheese gets all lovely and incorporated.
- Wilt the Greens: Finally, stir in the fresh spinach. It will wilt down super quickly from the residual heat. Keep stirring until it’s just wilted.
- Taste and Season: Give it a final taste. Need more salt? More pepper? Another squeeze of lemon? Now’s the time!
My Notes From The Kitchen Trenches
- Don’t add the lemon juice too early or while it’s boiling hard – it can sometimes make things taste a bit bitter, I find. Adding it off the heat works best.
- If it looks too dry when the orzo is cooking, add another splash of broth or even just hot water. If it looks too wet, let it simmer a bit longer (but watch it doesn’t stick!).
- Zesting the lemon might seem like a faff, but it adds SO much more lemon flavour than just the juice. Honestly, Microplane zesters are game changers if you don’t have one. Worth every penny.
Fun Variations I’ve Tried (and One Fail)
Sometimes I chuck in a can of drained artichoke hearts along with the spinach – delish! Peas work well too, add them frozen for the last couple of minutes of the orzo cooking in the broth. Feta cheese crumbled over the top instead of, or as well as, Parmesan is also *really* good. Gives it a nice salty tang.
One time, I tried adding mushrooms. Cooked them off after the chicken… it wasn’t bad, per se, but it just felt… wrong? Like they didn’t quite belong in the lovely lemony brightness. Maybe that’s just me though!
Oh, and I saw this cool kitchen gadget the other day, some sort of automatic pot stirrer? Tempted, because sometimes I wander off while the orzo is simmering…
What If I Don’t Have…? (Equipment Chat)
A big skillet is ideal, something wide so the orzo cooks evenly. A Dutch oven is brilliant too. If all you have is a deep saucepan, that’ll work, just might take a bit longer for the liquid to reduce. No stress. And like I said about the zester, you *can* use the small side of a box grater, it’s just fiddlier.
Storing the Leftovers (If Any!)
Pop any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep for 2-3 days easily. It does thicken up quite a bit when cold, so you might want to add a splash of water or broth when reheating (gentle heat on the stove or microwave works). Though honestly, in my house it rarely lasts more than a day!
How We Like to Eat It
We usually just have this on its own in a big bowl, maybe with some extra Parmesan grated over the top (always extra cheese). Sometimes, if I’m feeling fancy, a simple side salad with a vinaigrette is nice. Or some crusty bread to mop up any leftover lemony sauce. Yum.
Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)
- Don’t Overcook the Orzo Initially: I once let it fully cook before adding it to the broth… resulted in total mush. Undercooking slightly is key so it can absorb the broth flavour without turning claggy.
- Brown the Chicken Properly: Don’t rush this! Getting that nice golden colour on the chicken adds tonnes of flavour to the final dish. I tried just poaching the chicken in the broth once to save time and regretted it – so bland.
- Taste As You Go: Especially with salt. Broth and Parmesan are salty, so add salt gradually at the end. You can always add more, but you can’t easily take it away!
Answering Your Questions! (Probably)
Can I use different pasta?
Well yeah, you *could*, but orzo’s small shape works really well here, kinda like a risotto but easier. Ditalini or another small shape might work, but it wouldn’t quite be Lemon Chicken Orzo, would it? Might need to adjust cooking times too.
Is it very lemony?
It’s got a definite lemon flavour, but it’s not overpowering – more bright and fresh! If you’re worried, maybe start with the zest and juice of half a lemon and add more to taste at the end. You’re the boss!
Help! My orzo absorbed all the liquid too quickly!
No worries! Just add a bit more warm chicken broth or even hot water, maybe 1/4 cup at a time, until it gets to a nice creamy consistency. Keep stirring!
Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely! Just leave out the chicken (obvs). Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. To make it more substantial, maybe add a can of drained chickpeas along with the orzo, or stir in some white beans at the end? Or some roasted veggies like zucchini or bell peppers would be lovely. Check out Cookie and Kate for some great veggie inspo generally, she’s brilliant.
Hope you love this Lemon Chicken Orzo as much as we do! Let me know if you give it a try.
