Lemon chicken orzo is a cozy one-pot meal made with tender chicken, zesty lemon, and orzo, for an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in about 30 minutes.
In this dish, the chicken is sautéed, leaving beautiful golden bits on the bottom of the skillet. This is what we call fond, which in French means bottom.
The fond is where a lot of the flavor lies, and that's why it's important to cook the chicken until it caramelizes, i.e., when you cook meat (or onions, for example), until they turn a nutty golden brown.
You'll see that I deglazed (which means to remove stuck-on food with a liquid from the bottom of the skillet) with water instead of broth, stock, or wine. And I do so because the caramelized bits are so flavorful in their own right, that anything else felt unnecessary.
Orzo, (the star of the show) is a small pasta, that cooks quickly, and is easy to incorporate into speedy one-pot meals, like my recipe for orzo with spinach and feta-which is perfect for busy weeknights.
If you enjoy the bright flavor of lemon (which this recipe has plenty of) paired with tender juicy chicken, you may want to try my lemon Dijon chicken next.
Finally, for more recipes with pasta, and chicken try my creamy Boursin pasta with chicken, and my chicken tortellini.
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✨ Recipe Highlights
- One-pot meal (yay! less clean up)
- Good source of lean protein
- Full of veggies
- Dinner in about 30 minutes
🛒 Ingredients in Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
Notes & Substitutions
- Chicken breast: Substitute with chicken thighs.
- Orzo pasta: You can use other tiny pasta shapes (pastina), such as stelline or acini di pepe, but check the cooking time on the package as cooking times will vary.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: I always buy large wedges, and grate it myself for the best flavor. Pre-grated is fine too, but when you know, you know 🙂
Variations
- Zucchini: Not a fan? Throw in two handfuls of baby spinach at the same time you add the parmesan cheese. Frozen peas work well too. Add them when you add the zucchini and chicken back to the skillet. Try asparagus tips-sauté them lightly as you would the zucchini.
- Water: I used water for ease in this recipe because I don't always have broth on hand, but you can use unsalted chicken broth too.
- Rotisserie chicken: A great timer saver. Use rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken or turkey instead of chicken breasts.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
Cook Onions & Zucchini
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and let it melt. Add the onions, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt; sauté 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add the zucchini, and cook another 3-5 minutes until tender, and bright green. Don't overcook-it's nice when there is still a bit of crunch. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.
✨Tip
Using a non-stick skillet is great for cooking certain things, but in this recipe opt for a regular skillet for the best caramelization.
Sauté Chicken
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, let it melt. Add the chicken, season with ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Sauté for about 5-8 minutes, until golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
✨Tip
Always wash utensils that touched raw meat before using them on cooked food-or grab a fresh one. Safety first!
Add Orzo, Water, Lemon Juice & Zest
Add the orzo, water, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest to the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil scraping any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often until the orzo is al dente, and the liquid is mostly absorbed-though it should still be slightly saucy and creamy (like a risotto).
✨Tip
Those brown bits (also called fond) are where all the flavor hides. That's why getting things good, and caramelized is key-especially if you're using water (as we do here) instead of broth.
Serve
Return the zucchini and chicken to the skillet, and stir 1 minute or so to warm through. Off the heat add the cheese, stir, serve, and finish your meal with a spinach and arugula salad.
🌟 Tips & Tricks
- Boil your water (or broth, if using) in the microwave while you cook the chicken-then it's ready to go straight into the skillet, and speeds up the recipe.
- I needed to use 2 ½ cups of water to cook the orzo by the brand Delverde. The cooking time for each brand will differ slightly-to be safe, start with 2 ¼ cups water, checking the orzo while it cooks, and adding more as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's best eaten freshly made, but you can prepare the perishables ahead of time, and keep them refrigerated until ready to cook.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I ♥️ Hearing from You
If you enjoy this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment. I love knowing about any fun tweaks or clever swaps you make.
-Donna
📝 Recipe Card
Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta Recipe (EASY one-pot dinner)
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 large skillet
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cups zucchini, halved and cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Chicken & Orzo
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound trimmed chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- 1 cup orzo, uncooked
- 2¼-2½ cups water, start with 2¼ cups adding more as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- ⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Cook Onions & Zucchini: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and let it melt. Add the onions, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt; sauté 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add the zucchini, and cook another 3-5 minutes until tender, and bright green. Don't overcook-it's nice when there is still a bit of crunch. Remove from the skillet, and set aside.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup yellow onion, 4 cups zucchini, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Sauté Chicken: Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, let it melt. Add the chicken, season with ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the skillet and set aside.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 pound trimmed chicken breast, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, pepper to taste
- Add Orzo, Water, Lemon Zest & Juice: Add the orzo, water, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest to the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil scraping any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often until the orzo is al dente, and the liquid is mostly absorbed-though it should still be slightly saucy and creamy (like a risotto).1 cup orzo, 2¼-2½ cups water, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Serve: Return the zucchini and chicken to the skillet, and stir 1 minute or so to warm through. Off the heat add the cheese, stir, serve, and finish your meal with a spinach and arugula salad.⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Donna says
This is a great one-pot recipe. It has all the perfect components of a balanced meal-protein, pasta, and veggies. I hope you enjoy it too.