Description
Creamy chicken orzo in just one pan? This 30-minute wonder delivers all the flavor with none of the fuss. Skip the restaurant and treat yourself tonight!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1½ cups (300g) uncooked orzo pasta
- 3 cups (720ml) chicken broth, preferably low-sodium
- ¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and dried Italian herbs, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add uncooked orzo to the pan and stir for 1 minute to lightly toast. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer orzo uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until orzo is nearly tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Pour in heavy cream and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Fold in chopped spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.
- Let stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.