Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo (Print Version)

Savory dish featuring tender chicken, creamy orzo, and fresh lemon zest for a bright, satisfying meal.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Orzo & Aromatics

05 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
06 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 cup orzo pasta

→ Sauce & Flavor

09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
13 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
14 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Finish

15 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Lemon slices for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken pieces evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same skillet. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and orzo; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to lightly toast the orzo.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
06 - Stir in grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Serve warm, garnished with extra parsley and lemon slices as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can go from bare pantry to creamy, restaurant-worthy dinner without stress.
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so you're not juggling multiple pots and cleaning is almost painless.
  • The lemon keeps it bright and fresh rather than heavy, even with all that cream, which feels like a small victory on weeknight evenings.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken before seasoning, you'll get steam instead of a golden sear, which completely changes the texture and the way flavors develop—I learned this the hard way.
  • Toasting the orzo for just a minute or two makes it taste more complex and prevents it from turning to mush, which is the difference between a good dish and one that tastes a little bland and mushy.
  • Add the cream and lemon at the end of the cooking process rather than the beginning, because boiling cream can make it break and curdle, and boiling lemon juice can make it taste bitter instead of bright.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that fond is pure concentrated flavor that transforms a simple sauce into something restaurant-quality.
  • Taste and adjust your seasoning in stages rather than all at once, because the flavors develop as everything cooks and melds together, and you want to catch it at exactly the right balance.
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