One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo

Okay, real talk. It is 5 pm, soccer practice ran long, and everyone in my house is asking the same question at the same time. What is for dinner. This lemon chicken orzo is my answer on those nights, because it all happens in one pan, it takes about 35 minutes, and it tastes like something you would order at a restaurant with cloth napkins. Meanwhile I made it in leggings with a toddler hanging off my hip.

It is creamy without being heavy, the lemon makes it feel summery, and the cleanup is one pot and one cutting board. That is my kind of math.

Heads up, some of these are affiliate links, which just means if you grab something I get a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. Only things I actually use made the cut.

Why you’ll love this one

The orzo cooks right in the chicken broth, so instead of boiling pasta separately, it slowly drinks up all that flavor and releases its starch into the pan. That is what makes it creamy, even before the parmesan shows up. The lemon keeps it bright so it does not feel like a casserole in June, and the spinach wilts in at the end so I can tell myself it is balanced.

Also, picky eater tested. Mine ate the chicken first, then went back for the buttery lemon pasta, and nobody said a word about the green stuff. I am counting that as a win.

What goes in it

Nothing fancy here, which is the whole point. You need 1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (breasts work too), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, half a teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons butter, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1.5 cups dry orzo, 3.5 cups low sodium chicken broth, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, half a cup of grated parmesan, a third of a cup of heavy cream, 2 cups of baby spinach, and some chopped parsley for the top.

Two small notes from someone who has made this a lot. Thighs stay juicier than breasts, so if you are on the fence, go thighs. And zest the lemon before you juice it. I have tried to zest a squeezed lemon half and I do not recommend the experience. A good microplane zester makes that part take ten seconds.

How to make it

Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then sear it in olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat until golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Move it to a plate.

Turn the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of the butter with the garlic. Thirty seconds, just until your kitchen smells amazing. Add the orzo and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring. This little step adds a nutty flavor that makes people ask what you did differently.

Pour in the broth, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often so the orzo does not stick. When it is tender and creamy, pull the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, the parmesan, the cream, the last tablespoon of butter, the spinach, and the chicken with all its juices. Let it sit 5 minutes, top with parsley, done.

The full printable card with exact steps is right below.

One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo

Creamy, bright lemon chicken orzo that cooks in one pan in about 35 minutes. Tender chicken, garlicky orzo, parmesan, and a handful of spinach, all in one pot.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (breasts work too)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter divided
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1.5 cups dry orzo
• 3.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup heavy cream optional but worth it
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for serving

Method

 

1. Pat the chicken dry and season it with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden and cooked through. Move it to a plate.
3. Turn the heat down to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the orzo and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring so it does not catch.
4. Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender and the liquid turns creamy.
5. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, parmesan, cream, the last tablespoon of butter, the spinach, and the chicken with any juices from the plate. Stir until the spinach wilts.
6. Let it sit 5 minutes to thicken, then top with parsley and extra parmesan and serve.

Notes

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The orzo soaks up the sauce as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat and it comes right back to creamy.

Tips, swaps, and make ahead

Stir more than you think you need to. Orzo is sneaky and will weld itself to the bottom of the pan the second you walk away to referee a sibling argument. Ask me how I know.

No cream? Skip it and add an extra tablespoon of butter and a splash more broth. Want it heartier? Stir in frozen peas with the spinach. If lemon is a hard sell at your table, start with the zest and half the juice, then taste. And rotisserie chicken works in a pinch, just skip the searing step and stir it in at the end.

Make ahead is easy. The flavors are even better the next day, the texture just gets thicker. A splash of broth while reheating brings it right back.

Quick recipe details

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is about 25 minutes, and it serves 4. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. I do not recommend freezing it, the orzo gets mushy and a little sad.

The takeaway

One pan, 35 minutes, and a dinner that tastes like you tried way harder than you did. That is the whole pitch. If you make it, tell me how it went in the comments, and tell me your favorite one pot dinner while you are there. My weeknight rotation always has room.

So glad you are here. xo, Pam