When it comes to weeknight dinners, our favorite recipes are quick and easy—both to prepare and to clean up. This family-friendly lemon chicken orzo checks all those boxes. It takes only 40 minutes and cooks up in a single skillet—and it tastes great too! In this simple chicken dinner recipe, seasoned chicken is tossed together with orzo, grape tomatoes, spinach and fresh basil. Fresh lemon juice ties all the flavors together and adds brightness and tang to this flavorful dish.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Ingredients
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are ideal for this recipe. For even cooking, be sure to pound the meat into a 1/4-inch thickness. If you only have bone-in chicken thighs on hand, you can remove the bones or try this slow-cooker Greek orzo chicken recipe instead. To make this recipe even faster, you can swap in precooked cubed chicken or rotisserie chicken to turn it into a rotisserie chicken recipe.
- Seasonings: The chicken is first seasoned with salt and pepper before being dredged in a flour and garlic powder mixture. This promotes even browning and gives the chicken a flavorful crust. For even more flavor, consider adding a pinch of smoked paprika, za’atar or dried herbs to the flour mixture.
- Broth: Cooking the orzo in broth is an easy way to add more flavor. We always recommend using low-sodium chicken broth so you can control the amount of salt in a recipe. Try one of our Test Kitchen’s favorite chicken broth brands or try your hand at making your own homemade chicken broth.
- Orzo: Although orzo looks like rice, it’s actually a type of small pasta. And unlike rice, it cooks in less than 10 minutes. This orzo recipe calls for whole wheat orzo, but you can substitute regular or tri-color orzo.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach leaves add some more nutrients to the lemon orzo chicken. If you’ve got any left over, put it to use in some of our other favorite spinach recipes.
- Tomato: This recipe calls for grape tomatoes. You can use cherry tomatoes, but if they are very large, cut them into quarters.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the dish. For even more lemon flavor, stir in a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest as well.
- Basil: Fresh basil adds a slightly sweet and spicy herbal flavor to the dish. Fresh parsley, thyme or tarragon are flavorful alternatives. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, don’t fret; dried herbs are an easy substitute. Just remember that dried herbs pack more of a flavor punch than fresh; when converting converting fresh to dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs.
Directions
Step 1: Prep and season the chicken
In a shallow bowl, mix the flour and garlic powder. Cut the chicken into 1-1/2-inch pieces, then pound each piece with a meat mallet to a 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Dip both sides of the chicken into the flour mixture to coat them lightly, and shake off any excess.
Step 2: Cook the chicken
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for three to four minutes on each side, or until the chicken is golden brown and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm. Wipe the skillet clean.
Step 3: Cook the orzo
In the same pan, bring the broth to a boil and stir in the orzo. Return the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the pasta, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until it’s tender.
Step 4: Combine the ingredients
Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice, basil and remaining salt, then remove the pan from the heat. Return the chicken to the pan. If you’d like, serve the lemon orzo chicken with lemon wedges.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Variations
- Use a different pasta: Orzo can be replaced with another small pasta shape like ditalini, stelline, fregola or pearl couscous. Cook each of these pastas according to their package instructions. Other non-wheat alternatives to orzo include quinoa, farro and arborio rice.
- Add other veggies: To pack in even more nutrients, you can add your favorite veggies to the mix. Think sauteed bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini or squash.
- Sprinkle in other herbs: For even more fresh flavor, top the lemon orzo chicken with freshly chopped parsley, tarragon or dill. Fresh herbs are always great to have on hand. Make sure to store fresh herbs correctly to keep them fresh for longer.
- Make it cheesy: Adding cheese is never a bad idea. Top with up to 1/2 cup of crumbled feta, shredded mozzarella or grated Parmesan just before serving.
How to Store Lemon Chicken Orzo
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave until heated through. You can also reheat lemon orzo chicken in a covered pan on the stovetop. Just stir in a splash of chicken broth or cream to refresh the orzo.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Tips
What can you serve with lemon chicken orzo?
Lemon orzo with chicken is a hearty meal in itself, so you can keep things simple with the side dishes. Try one of our favorite salad recipes, or roast some vegetables like browned butter roasted cauliflower, Parmesan roasted broccoli or lemon roasted asparagus. And of course, don’t forget the bread! Choose from garlic breadsticks, buttery dinner rolls or thick slices of sourdough bread.
How do you make creamy lemon chicken orzo?
To make a creamy version of lemon chicken with orzo, stir 1/4 cup of heavy cream into the orzo after it has cooked. For a dairy-free alternative, use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream. For an even creamier texture, stir in 1/4 cup of mascarpone cheese or cream cheese.
