Lemon Orzo Chicken Skillet
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into cubes
- 1 lemon zested and cut in half
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ medium yellow onion diced small
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 cup orzo
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 large handfuls spinach about 3 cups
Instructions
- Zest the lemon, then cut it in half and set aside. Season the cubed chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes, if using.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Cook the chicken until fully cooked and it reaches 165℉, about 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Place the lemon halves cut-side down in the hot pan and sear for 1-2 minutes until caramelized. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
- Add the butter to the skillet, then cook the onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bs. Once mostly evaporated, add the chicken broth and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and the mixture is slightly soupy.
- Stir in the cream, parmesan, lemon zest, and spinach. Remove from heat, place the lemon halves on top, cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. Squeeze the caramelized lemon over the orzo before serving
Notes
- If your orzo is too dry or too wet, it may be a smaller or larger size. There are different sizes of orzo and using a larger or smaller size may require slightly more or less liquid. I used size no.65 orzo.
- Make sure you stir your orzo occasionally as it cooks, preventing the bottom from burning. If it starts to look too dry before it is fully cooked, add a splash more broth and continue to simmer.
- If you feel your orzo is too wet, let it sit in the pan uncovered for a few minutes and give it a good stir. The orzo will thicken significantly as it stands. You may choose to reduce the cream added at the end to ¼ cup.
- Do not overcook the orzo. All orzo cooks in 10-12 minutes; anything over may cause your orzo to become overcooked and mushy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 206mg | Sodium: 1381mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg
