Lemon Chicken Orzo
This is a creamy one-pot dinner that tastes like something you'd get at a nice restaurant but comes together in ~30 minutes. The lemon brightens everything up and the orzo gets perfectly tender cooking right in the sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, ~1 cup, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast or tenders, diced to 1/2-inch pieces
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 1/3 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
- 3 large lemons, 1 1/2 Tbsp zest and 1/3 cup juice
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions until golden, then add garlic and cook briefly.
- Add diced chicken, season, and cook until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.
- Melt butter, whisk in flour, then gradually add broth and milk. Stir until smooth.
- Add orzo and simmer for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Return chicken to pot, add spinach, 1 1/4 cups Parmesan, Dijon, lemon zest, and juice.
- Stir until cheese melts and spinach wilts. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve topped with remaining Parmesan.
Notes
Consistency should be creamy like risotto. Add milk if too thick.