Description
Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender thin-pounded chicken breasts seasoned and cooked in a skillet, served over creamy orzo pasta with garlic, herbs, lemon juice, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal with bright citrus notes and a rich, velvety sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- 1-2 tsp Kinder's Grilled Chicken Seasoning or any favorite chicken seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted butter
Orzo and Sauce
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp Herbs De Provence or Italian seasoning
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth or white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- Fresh parsley (optional)
- Lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts thin, rub with olive oil, and season evenly with Kinder’s Grilled Chicken Seasoning or your preferred seasoning blend.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook thoroughly until no longer pink inside, about 5-7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the diced yellow onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in minced garlic, Herbs De Provence, and red pepper flakes, cooking for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Toast Orzo: Add the orzo pasta to the skillet and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes to lightly toast the pasta and coat it in the aromatic butter and seasonings.
- Cook Orzo: Pour in the chicken broth (or white wine), heavy cream, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Finish the Dish: Stir in the baby spinach and freshly grated Parmesan cheese until the spinach wilts and cheese melts into the creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Slice or leave the cooked chicken breasts whole and place on top of the creamy orzo. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices if desired, and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Protein Swaps: This recipe works beautifully with shrimp, salmon, or rotisserie chicken for variety.
- Vegetable Add-ins: Consider adding sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, or roasted red peppers for extra flavor.
- Cheese Alternatives: Substitute Parmesan with Asiago, Romano, or a touch of Boursin cheese to make the sauce creamier.
- Make It Lighter: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream or add extra broth for a thinner sauce.
- Extra Lemon Flavor: Add lemon zest along with the juice for an enhanced citrusy brightness.
- Storage Tips: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to restore creaminess.
- Freezing Not Recommended: Cream-based dishes like this may separate when frozen; best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
