Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta is the easiest one pan dinner that’s rich in bright and creamy flavor perfect for the spring and summer. It’s one of our family’s most requested dinners and I guarantee it will be a crowdpleaser for you too.
When the warmer months come around, this Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta is one of the first recipes to make on my list. The orzo pasta soaks up all the delicious lemon cream sauce for a bite that’s insanely delicious.
Another reason why we love this orzo pasta recipe is it’s one of those dishes that fits any occasion. It’s gourmet enough for a dinner party, simple enough to make for a quick weeknight meal, and holds well to take to a potluck or picnic. It’s one of those pasta dishes that even my kids have no problem eating, in fact, they often go back for seconds!
With just 10 ingredients and no special equipment, you’ll want to make this lemon orzo pasta all season long. Our secret to making the flavor extra lemony is using freshly squeezed lemon juice as well as lemon zest, you must try it! If you love a great pasta recipe, be sure to also make our Pasta e Piselli and Creamy Lobster Pasta.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- One pan pasta recipe. We love that this orzo pasta uses just one skillet to cook everything. It’s simple to prepare when we are short on time and has a ton of flavor. Plus, the cleanup is quick too!
- Decadent flavors with minimal ingredients. When it comes to a lemon orzo pasta recipe, we like to develop the recipe to be simple so we aren’t shopping at the store for hours. All of the ingredients for this lemon chicken orzo pasta are easy to find and affordable.
- Picky eater approved. I’ve tested this meal on all ages both young and old and it’s always a winner. It’s creamy and bright thanks to the lemon and heavy cream. Oh, and don’t forget lots of parmesan cheese too!
Jen’s Tip: When it comes to cooking orzo, especially in a recipe that uses one pan, you want to make sure you have enough cooking liquid. We use chicken broth in this recipe to add extra flavor. Be sure to have some additional broth on hand, orzo cooks similar to rice and often needs more liquid than the recipe calls for.
Ingredients
- Olive oil: The cooking fat for the lemon pasta.
- Butter: Adds richness in flavor as well as creaminess to the sauce.
- Yellow onion: The base of any great pasta sauce recipe.
- Garlic: Infuses each bite with all the garlicky flavor we love.
- Orzo pasta: Short and small noodles that cook quickly and are so versatile. Plus we love you can eat them with a spoon.
- Chicken broth: The cooking liquid for the orzo pasta that adds so much more flavor than just water alone.
- Water — Helps the orzo cook evenly and keeps the sauce light and silky without overpowering the lemon flavor
- Cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken: This is the perfect recipe to use up leftover cooked chicken, or you can use a store-bought shortcut and purchase a rotisserie chicken instead.
- Fresh spinach: We love the flavor that fresh leafy greens like spinach add to this dish.
- Lemon zest and juice: We use both here to add extra bright flavor. It’s essential for this recipe.
- Heavy cream: The perfect touch to make every bite creamy.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Adds delicious cheesy flavor as well as salt to the pasta.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo
1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion with a small pinch of salt and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
2. Add the orzo and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently to coat in the butter and oil.
3. Pour in the chicken broth and water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 14–16 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, add an extra splash of chicken broth or water as needed during the cooking process.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the spinach, lemon zest, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and the spinach is wilted.
5. Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked chicken and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Cook the orzo correctly. Stir frequently while cooking to prevent sticking, and add extra broth if needed to maintain a risotto-like texture.
- Use rotisserie chicken as a shortcut. Rotisserie chicken works great here, just shred and stir it in at the end.
- Optional veggie add-ins. Try adding peas, asparagus, or a handful of arugula for extra color and flavor.
- Make the orzo lighter. Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or omit entirely for a less creamy version.
- Always use fresh lemon juice. Never use the bottled juice, it’s muddied in flavor and won’t taste as vibrant.
Storage
Store any leftover lemon chicken orzo pasta in an airtight contaner in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet for a few minutes until warmed through. The key to reheating the orzo is to add a splash of chicken broth to the pasta. This helps it to become creamy and delicious again rather than dry or mushy.
We don’t recommend freezing the lemon chicken orzo since it will change the texture of the pasta.
FAQs
Yes, we recommend using a shorter pasta like rigatoni mezzi or penne. You may need to add more liquid and cook for a little longer until the pasta is al dente.
We add spinach, you can also add other greens like arugula or dinosaur kale. Additionally, chopped asparagus or peas would also be delicious.
Yes, you can make the pasta in advance, just reheat on the stovetop with a splash more of chicken stock until warmed through. It’s also great served room temperature as more of a pasta salad type of dish as well.
More Flavorful Pasta Recipes
Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo (One pan)
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 16 ounces orzo pasta
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 cup cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken shredded or cubed
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 Lemon zested
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion with a small pinch of salt and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the orzo and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently to coat in the butter and oil.
- Pour in the chicken broth and water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 14–16 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add an extra splash of chicken broth or water as needed during the cooking process.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the spinach, lemon zest, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and the spinach is wilted.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked chicken and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Orzo tip: Stir frequently while cooking to prevent sticking, and add extra broth if needed to maintain a risotto-like texture.
- Chicken shortcut: Rotisserie chicken works great here—just shred and stir it in at the end.
- Optional add-ins: Try adding peas, asparagus, or a handful of arugula for extra color and flavor.
- Make it lighter: Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or omit entirely for a less creamy version.
- Leftovers: This dish reheats well with a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.
