Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo (Printer-friendly)

One-pan dish with tender chicken, creamy orzo, and bright lemon notes for an easy, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Orzo & Aromatics

05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
06 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 cup orzo pasta (7 oz)

→ Sauce & Flavor

09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (16 fl oz)
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (4 fl oz)
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Finish

15 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1.75 oz)
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Lemon slices, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken pieces evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same skillet, then add chopped onion. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and orzo; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until orzo is lightly toasted.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Return chicken to skillet. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender and sauce has thickened and is creamy, about 10 to 12 minutes.
06 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Dish warm portions onto plates and garnish with additional parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of weeknight meal that feels fancy enough to serve guests but simple enough that you won't stress while making it.
  • One skillet means less cleanup, which is half the battle on a busy evening.
  • The lemon keeps everything bright and alive instead of heavy, even with all that cream.
02 -
  • If you add the cream while the pan is still boiling hard, you risk it curdling or separating, so lower the heat first.
  • Don't cook the orzo until it's fully tender before adding it to the broth; it continues cooking in the sauce and will turn to mush if you're not careful.
  • Taste as you go, especially with the lemon juice, because everyone's lemons are different sizes and tartness varies.
03 -
  • Room-temperature cream pours smoothly and incorporates evenly, so take it out of the fridge a few minutes before you need it.
  • The moment the orzo becomes tender is when you pull the pan off the heat, because it keeps cooking in the residual heat and sauce.
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