One-Pot Lemon Rooster and Orzo

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Mushy rooster, orzo pasta, tomatoes and spinach come in combination in a lemony cream sauce for a scrumptious dinner made multi function pan. This one-pot lemon rooster and orzo will grow to be a weeknight dinner favourite very quickly!

White plate holding a serving of lemon chicken and orzo.

We like one-pot dinners round right here. There’s not anything higher than minimum cleanup and having a meal that my circle of relatives will fortunately gobble up.

One-pot spaghetti and one-pot red meat stroganoff are giant hits round right here. I sought after so as to add to my record of one-pot dinners with one thing round rooster and orzo (one in every of my favourite little pasta shapes) and this one-pot lemon rooster and orzo used to be born.

Between the rooster, the orzo, and the spinach and tomatoes, that is actually a complete meal in a single pan. Discuss a weeknight dinner win!

Overhead view of lemon chicken and orzo in a dutch oven.

What’s orzo?

Should you’ve ever eaten orzo at a cafe or observed it in ready salads at puts like Entire Meals, chances are you’ll assume it’s one of those rice on account of the form.

However orzo is in reality pasta! You’ll in finding it within the grocery retailer with the opposite small, formed pasta.

Orzo is excellent in pasta salad recipes like my Greek orzo salad and herbed shrimp orzo salad. It’s additionally scrumptious in soups and one-pot dishes like one-pot orzo with rooster sausage and this one-pot lemon rooster and orzo.

Similar to maximum pastas, you’ll regularly in finding complete wheat orzo along with common orzo. Be at liberty to make use of the entire wheat model on this recipe if you happen to’d love to up the fiber and protein content material.

There are even gluten-free orzo choices to be had for somebody who adheres to a gluten-free nutrition.

Fork holding up a sliced bite of chicken on a plate.

My savory one-pot lemon rooster and orzo

This one-pot lemon rooster and orzo has such a lot of good things packed into one dish.

Mushy rooster is nestled right into a pot of creamy orzo. A pop of lemon and dijon mustard carry heaps of taste and brighten the dish.

Upload within the spinach and the tomatoes for colour and additional taste and also you’ve were given a number of goodness on this meal.

All the recipe chefs in a single pot, so you’ve got fewer dishes to wash when dinner is over. The leftovers additionally make nice lunches later within the week!

Overhead view of two white plates with lemon chicken and orzo.

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Methods to make lemon rooster and orzo

This one-pot lemon rooster and orzo turns out fancy, but it surely’s in reality beautiful simple to make. Let’s communicate via it!

Components you’ll want

Don’t be intimidated by way of the lengthy record of substances for this recipe. Whenever you get into the recipe, you’ll see that it’s in reality no longer that dangerous.

To make this dish, you are going to want:

2 kilos boneless/skinless rooster breasts or thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 massive diced
4-5 minced cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups rooster inventory
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups dry orzo
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
10 oz. halved cherry or grape tomatoes (non-compulsory)
5 oz. recent child spinach
Salt and pepper to style

Ingredients for lemon chicken and orzo on a countertop.

I created this recipe to be able to use rooster breasts or thighs, whichever you favor or have available.

I love so as to add cherry or grape tomatoes to my lemon rooster and orzo. I just like the added acidity and the pop of colour they upload, however be at liberty to disregard them if you happen to don’t like tomatoes.

Technically that you must disregard the spinach, too, however I love having it in right here in order that that is actually a whole meal in a single pot. If you wish to go away it out, I counsel having every other vegetable aspect, comparable to air fryer inexperienced beans or honey glazed carrots.

Prepping the rooster

Earlier than you get began in this recipe, you’ll want to prep your rooster.

If you’re the use of rooster breasts, I like to recommend butterflying them. To do that, lay the rooster breast on a chopping board together with your hand flat on best of it.

Use a pointy chef’s knife and, beginning on the thicker aspect, reduce the beef in part in order that it’ll open like a e book. However you’ll want to prevent simply prior to you chop all over at the skinny aspect!

Now you’ll open up the rooster like a butterfly!

Should you’re the use of thighs, you’ll skip this step.

Pat the rooster items dry with paper towels – this may occasionally can help you get a greater sear at the rooster. Season either side of the meal generously with salt and pepper.

Making the rooster and orzo

In a massive dutch oven or a deep saute pan, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, upload the rooster items and cook dinner till they’re golden brown on either side and the interior temperature reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

This may occasionally take about 5-7 mins according to aspect. Paintings in batches if you wish to have to! As soon as the rooster is cooked, take away it to a plate, however go away the pan over medium warmth.

Upload the onion and cook dinner till softened, about 5 mins, then upload the garlic, thyme, and italian seasoning and cook dinner for 1 extra minute.

Sauteed onions and garlic in a dutch oven.

Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onions. Stir to mix and cook dinner for 1 minute, then upload the rooster inventory and the mustard. As you stir, use your spoon to scrape the browned bits from the ground of the pan. Deliver the mix to a simmer.

As soon as simmering, upload the orzo in conjunction with the cream, parmesan, lemon juice and lemon zest, and the halved tomatoes. Season with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper and stir to mix.

Orzo, cream, and tomatoes added to a dutch oven.

Flip the warmth all the way down to low. Quilt and simmer the mix for 8-10 mins, stirring once in a while, till the orzo is cooked via.

As soon as the orzo is finished, style for seasoning. Upload further salt and pepper as wanted, then stir within the spinach and nestle the rooster again into the pot.

Spinach wilted into cooked orzo with cherry tomatoes.

Let the spinach wilt and the rooster to heat again via prior to serving with further parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon.

Close up of one-pot lemon chicken and orzo in a dutch oven.

Techniques to modify up this recipe

In order that’s tips on how to make this lemon rooster and orzo in keeping with the recipe. However like such a lot of of my dinner recipes, you’ll exchange up some issues to suit your circle of relatives’s tastes!

Make it gluten loose by way of swapping the normal orzo for gluten-free orzo. Put out of your mind the flour and cut back the liquid substances by way of ¼ to ½ cup. The sauce is probably not as thick, however it’ll be scrumptious!

Use complete wheat orzo to get some further fiber and protein into the dish with out your circle of relatives even figuring out it.

Use rotisserie rooster as a substitute of rooster breasts or thighs. Get started with sauteing the onions within the olive oil; proceed with the recipe as written, stirring in a couple of cups of shredded rotisserie rooster on the finish.

Switch the cherry tomatoes for solar dried tomatoes. More or less chop a jar of oil-packed solar dried tomatoes and upload them to the recipe rather than the cherry tomatoes or wait to stir them in on the finish with the spinach.

If the use of rooster breasts, butterfly them. If the use of thighs, you’ll skip butterflying the beef.
Pat the rooster dry with paper towels and season either side generously with salt and pepper.
In a big dutch oven, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. As soon as scorching, upload the rooster (running in batches as wanted) and cook dinner till golden brown on either side and completely cooked via (the interior temperature will have to learn 165°F), 5-7 mins according to aspect. Take away the rooster to a plate.
Maintaining the pan over medium warmth, upload the onion and cook dinner till softened, about 5 mins. Upload the garlic and herbs and cook dinner for 1 further minute.
Upload the flour to the pot; stir to coat the onion and garlic and cook dinner for roughly 1 minute prior to including the rooster inventory and mustard. Stir smartly to mix, the use of your spoon to scrape the browned bits from the ground of the pot as you do. Deliver to a simmer.
Upload the orzo, cream, parmesan, lemon juice and zest, and tomatoes (if the use of), in conjunction with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Cut back the warmth to low; quilt and simmer for 8-10 mins or till the orzo is cooked via, stirring once in a while.
As soon as the orzo is cooked, style for seasoning and upload further salt and pepper as wanted.
Stir within the spinach and nestle the rooster again to the pot. Permit the spinach to wilt and the rooster to heat again via prior to serving. Serve with further parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Energy: 591kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 45g, Fats: 27g, Saturated Fats: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g, Monounsaturated Fats: 9g, Trans Fats: 0.02g, Ldl cholesterol: 151mg, Sodium: 917mg, Potassium: 1076mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Diet A: 3166IU, Diet C: 26mg, Calcium: 167mg, Iron: 3mg

Vitamin knowledge is routinely calculated, so will have to best be used as an approximation.