Ingredients
Method
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside. <
- p id=”instruction-step-2″>2. In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil. Sauté onion and carrot for 3–4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- d=”instruction-step-3″>3. Add orzo and toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- “instruction-step-4″>4. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes until orzo is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed.
- nstruction-step-5″>5. Stir in spinach until wilted, then mix in butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- nstruction-step-6″>6. Return chicken to the skillet, stir to combine, and heat through. Serve with lemon slices and Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
Ingredient Flexibility: I love using chicken thighs here when I have them, they stay incredibly juicy and add a richer flavor to the whole dish.
If you're out of fresh spinach, a handful of frozen peas stirred in at the end is a lovely, bright substitute.
Storage and Reheating: This keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to three days.
The orzo will absorb more liquid, so I always add a splash of broth or water when reheating it gently on the stove to bring back that creamy consistency.
Make-
Ahead Magic: You can prep the components ahead to save time.
I often chop the onion, carrot, and garlic the night before and store them together.
Cooking the chicken in advance and slicing it before adding it back in also works perfectly.
Toasting is Key: Don't skip toasting the orzo.
I learned this the hard way once.
Giving it those couple of minutes in the pan until it smells nutty makes a world of difference, adding a deeper flavor that prevents the pasta from tasting bland.
Serving Suggestion: For a complete meal, I like to serve this with a simple arugula salad dressed with just a squeeze of lemon.
The peppery greens are a fantastic contrast to the creamy, lemony orzo.
Equipment Note: A deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid is my go-to for this one-pot wonder.
If you only have a regular skillet, you can use foil to cover it snugly during the simmering step to trap the steam.
Lemon Balance: My personal tip is to zest the lemon right over the raw chicken.
The oils really get into the meat.
Then, I add the fresh juice at the very end, off the heat, to preserve its bright, sunny flavor.