Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe is made with simple ingredients like tender shredded chicken, orzo pasta, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and tangy feta cheese. It's the perfect creamy, comforting, and delicious one-pan meal the whole family will love!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta uncooked
- 1 splash dry white wine optional
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup thawed frozen peas
- 4 oz feta cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and butter to a pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring often.
- Add the minced garlic and dry orzo pasta, mixing well to combine with the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this toasts the orzo and is a simple way to add extra flavor to the pasta).
- If desired, add a splash of dry white wine to the pan before adding the chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream. If you prefer not to cook with wine, skip it and just add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, maintaining some gentle bubbling. Orzo tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, especially if the heat is too high, so stir often.
- Once the orzo is fully cooked, stir in the shredded cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, thawed peas, and feta cheese. Mix well to combine then remove from heat.
- Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
Notes
- This recipe is best with heavy cream versus lower-fat alternatives like whole milk which may curdle with the high heat and citrus combination.
- I used leftover rotisserie chicken to make this recipe, but any pre-cooked chicken will work including boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Orzo is pasta and is not gluten-free. Substitute with a gluten-free orzo alternative, usually made from a combination of corn flour and rice flour.
- For extra lemon flavor, add a teaspoon or so of lemon zest.
- Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You may need to add a splash of water or chicken broth when reheating as the orzo will continue to absorb liquid as it cools.
Nutrition
Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 988mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1533IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 2mg
