Creamy One-Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo

A pan of the creamy lemon chicken orzo, sitting on a countertop with a spoon resting in the pan

4.92 from 12 votes

Creamy One-Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo

Tender chicken and orzo come together with a creamy, dairy-free lemon sauce for the perfect weeknight dinner-turned-date-night recipe. Introducing my Creamy One-Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo, a delicious, flavorful recipe that you'll want to keep in your back pocket. This one-pan dish has it all, and comes together in just 20 minutes. Truly, what could be better than that?

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose, Low Salt

Keyword Dairy Free, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings Servings

Calories 384kcal

Author Nicole Modic

Ingredients

1.5 Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast cut into cubes
1 Teaspoon Paprika
½ Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Yellow Onion finely diced
4-5 Cloves Garlic mashed
2 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
3 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1 Cup Orzo
2 Large Handfuls Spinach
½ Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream
3 Lemons 1 lemon zested, 2 lemons juiced (this is approximately 1/4-1/3 cup), and 1 lemon cut thin, into slices
¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated

Instructions

To make this recipe, start by preparing the chicken: pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and slice them into cubes. Add them to a bowl alongside the paprika, cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper, and toss until the chicken is fully coated in the seasonings.
Next, heat a skillet, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the oil.
Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the edges start to cook.
Then, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Then, dice the onion, mash the garlic, and add them to the hot pan.
Cook the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides of the pan so that none of the onion or garlic burns.
Then, add in the chicken broth and mustard, stirring well, followed by the orzo.
Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once the orzo is cooked through, add in the spinach, the coconut milk or heavy cream (if using), lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese to the pan.
Stir the ingredients together for about a minute, until they're fully combined and the spinach is wilted.
Then, taste and adjust the kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
Finally, add the chicken back in the pan, stirring until it's fully incorporated into the orzo and everything cooks through. Depending on what brand of orzo you're using, it may need a few more minutes to cook through - that is okay!
Once it's done, plate it and enjoy!

Nutrition