Pic Credit: kalejunkie
One Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo is a wonderful and colourful meal in which orzo pasta is served with tender chicken along with a tangy lemon sauce. This menu is best for those days when you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen and you want to have good dinner.
The orzo is cooked in cream right next to the chicken to absorb all chicken and lemon flavor that would result to a more creamy orzo. That is why this one-pan lemon chicken orzo as easy, colorful, and delicious will quickly become a family favourite.
To prepare this dish, all the ingredients are fried in a single pot and therefore the beauty of this dish is that one does not require many spices since all the ingredients blend well, and washing up is easy. If you are preparing it for the family dinner, a group of friends or even a large banquet this dish will be quite pleasing. Now let me show you step by step how you can prepare it at home.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
MEASURES & PRECAUTIONS
- Chicken Selection: When selecting chicken for implementing in this dish, it is recommended to select the one with no skin and bones, using chicken breasts or thighs would be appropriate. As for thighs they are less criticizing and remain moister compared to the lean breast.
- Uniform Pieces: When cutting the chicken make sure it’s well cut into cubes or at least uniform shapes to that the cooking is evenly done. This also contributes to the timing
of the food, and also to the fact that all parts of the food is as tasty as possible. - Seasoning: Chicken should be seasoned with chicken salt, ground black pepper and Italian seasoning. It also helps to boost the overall
quality of the tomatoes that’s included in the preparation of the dish. That’s why it is important to keep the seasoning varied depending on individual
choices. - Cooking Temperature: Add heat on high for about five minutes to brown the chicken before bringing down the heat to medium. It assists to achieve a golden brown surface on the chicken skin but at the same time it helps avoid drying up of the flesh.
- Liquid Measurement: You are advised to replace fresh chicken stock or broth. Light flavor wise, you should go for low sodium chicken broth. However, should always measure the orzo well so that it can be well cooked.
One Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe
INGREDIENTS NOTES
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Orzo Pasta: Orzo is a teardrop-shaped or small rice shaped pasta that is known to take short time in cooking and also has the capacity to imbibe flavor. It is generally available in most supermarkets and grocery stores are generally located with the other pasta products.
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Lemon Juice and Zest: You should use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to produce the pleasant Citrus taste that forms the basis of this dish. It can also have a problem of freseness since it is from a bottled juice and not a fresh lemon juice.
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Parmesan Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese which is scattered all over the dish enhances its creaminess of the dish. Also, it is advisable to fresh grated cheese from fresh ones and avoid the ones packed and processed.
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Italian Seasoning: This refers to a mixture of dried leaves that may contain such leaves as basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary. It has a great fragrance to it but it doesn’t dominate the taste of your dish at all.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
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Prepare the Chicken: The first step is to wash then chop the boneless skinless chicken into small pieces that you can easily chew. Sprinkle the dish with the seasons needed such as; salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in order to make it tastier.
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Heat the Pan: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Finally after the chicken is well cooked, add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer.
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Sear the Chicken: And also fry for for about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown from the bottom side. Turn the pieces over and bake until dark all over of course. The final thing here is to have a nice crust when at the same time ensuring that they are most probably almost done.
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Remove Chicken: After browning sear the chicken and take it off the skillet, let it rest on a plate. This helps you in toasting the orzo in the pan without overcrowding it which makes it hard for the grains to cook uniformly.
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Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, put chopped shallots or onions then sauté it with minced garlic. It is important to sauté for approximately 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender, the onion is golden brown and the garlic is fragrant.
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Toast the Orzo: Then add uncooked orzo into the skillet and stir it continuously for about 2 minutes until the orzo turns lightly brown. This step makes it more flavorful and mushy.
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Add Liquid Ingredients: Add more chicken stock or broth and lemon juice and lemon zest to the pan with the orzo. Stir continuously while merging all the ingredients and to include the side bits that are brown in color.
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Return Chicken to Skillet: Agreed Nestle the seared chicken back into the skillet with the orzo mixture. Make sure that it reaches boiling point in the liquid for even cooking.
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Simmer and Cook: This you need to do by bringing all the ingredients to a gentle simmer on medium heat. Place the lid on it and simmer for around fifteen minutes or until orzo has soaked most of the liquids and is soft.
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Finish with Greens: If wished, one can mix in fresh spinach or some other greens for a few last minutes of simmering until they become tender.
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Serve Hot: Once done transfer to a plate from heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired, Using freshly grated cheese will give you the best flavor.
RECIPE TIPS & VARIATIONS
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Vegetable Additions: One should consider adding vegetables such as peas or broccoli to the pot, during the cooking process, to enhance the nutrient value as well as the color.
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Flavor Variations: Incorporate many types of herbs like adding thyme or dill herbs in your food to add some more taste to your food.
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Creamy Option: Add a small contain of heavy cream before you eat the soup, this will give it a richer feel.
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Lemon Pepper Chicken Variation: If you are fan of lemon pepper flavoring, it is suggested that you add lemon pepper seasoning, together with your Italian seasoning when cooking your chicken.
EQUIPMENT
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Large skillet
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Measuring cups
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Measuring spoons
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Cutting board
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Sharp knife
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Wooden spoon or spatula
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Grater (for Parmesan cheese)
Note
SERVING TIPS đŸ’¡
- If you are to serve One Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo try to enhance the appearance of the food presentation by garnishing the plate with fresh parsley or basil leaves as well as pieces of lemon to give the food a more colorful presentation and flavor.
- This dish I’d recommend to serve right from the skillet if you’re planning on having a more home like meal, and then put it to the middle of the table with spoons for everyone to feed themselves.
- If you’d like to run this meal along a side dish, pairing it with light arugula salad that is drizzled with olive oil vinaigrette will definitely add some zest to the teeth and taste buds, thanks to the sensitivity of its rind, besides establishing a nice balance of crunchy base to counter the creaminess that is ensconced in each of its morsels.
- For those who are keen on wine consumption — think about pouring some chilled white wine, say Sauvignon Blanc, as this type of wine goes well with citrus-based dishes which are inherent in this wonderful recipe!
Are you looking for another chicken dish? One Pan Coconut Lime Chicken Recipe is a flavorful twist!
