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This lemon chicken orzo recipe is creamy, comforting, and made in one pot for fewer dishes! It comes together in just 30 minutes for a cozy meal.
Love chicken and lemon? Try my Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, or this Lemon Chicken Gnocchi.
Why you’ll love it
This chicken and orzo recipe is similar to a risotto, but it’s much easier to make. There’s no need to gradually stir in the liquid. It’s simply added in all at the same time. Pair with some cooked chicken, spinach, and parmesan, and the result is tender chicken and a dreamy lemon cream sauce!
My Creamy Garlic Spinach Orzo recipe gave me the idea for this chicken spinach orzo. It’s similar in ingredients and technique, but I wanted something that would work as a main course. Using rotisserie chicken makes for a fast and fuss-free dinner all in one pot.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – I like to use sweet (Vidalia) ones
- Italian seasoning – a go-to versatile and fragrant herb blend in a single jar
- Orzo – you’ll find it in the dry pasta aisle
- Chicken broth – for moisture and deeper savory flavor
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice brightens the whole dish and adds a touch of acidity. If you want an even more intense lemon flavor, include the zest of a lemon. Add it along with the lemon juice.
- Heavy cream – it adds a luxurious touch
- Chicken – rotisserie or leftover Cooked Chicken makes this orzo recipe even easier
- Parmesan – for a final cheesy touch. Always grate your own for max flavor and best texture.
- Spinach – we’re using fresh baby spinach
Can I use rice?
Our kitchen hasn’t tested this recipe with rice. Orzo is pasta that happens to be shaped like rice, so I would stick to using it since the liquid ratios and cook time will likely be different. Rice typically takes longer to cook than pasta.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use this lemon zester and lemon saver.
- Here’s the Dutch oven that I like to use.
- A garlic press makes mincing garlic super quick, and I like to store butter in this butter dish because it has markings right on it so measuring is easy.
How to make lemon chicken orzo
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Sauté the onion in the butter and oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Stirring often, toast the orzo for a couple of minutes. Pour in the broth, cream, and lemon juice. Let it bubble gently, and cook for until the orzo is done, stirring every so often.
Once the liquid is absorbed, stir in the chicken. Remove from the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and let it sit for a few more minutes to thicken up more. Season with salt & pepper.
Pro tip
It may seem like there’s a lot of liquid, but the orzo does a good job of absorbing it! If you find by the end of cooking that there’s still too much, just wait a few minutes and the pasta will soak it up. If you find that it’s too dry, simply add another splash or cream and/or chicken broth.
Substitutions and variations
- Don’t like spinach? No problem. Leave it out. You could throw in other chopped and cooked veggies towards the end (like when the chicken is added) if you happen to have some on hand.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for something lower fat (e.g. half-and-half or milk). This recipe is cooked over a fairly high heat, plus the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice means there’s a strong chance of curdling.
- Since this is a one pot meal, the liquid ratios really matter, so I would be careful subbing another variety of pasta. Be prepared to add more liquid if needed.
What to serve with lemon chicken orzo
- Since it’s a hearty meal on its own, all you need is a slice of bread or a dinner roll to round it out. Garlic Bread works too if you’re wanting something more comforting.
- Serve it with a side salad. I like this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad or mixed greens with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- You can store leftovers in the fridge for a few days in an airtight container, but definitely be aware that the orzo will soak up the sauce over time.
- When reheating, use a saucepan over a low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of cream or broth if necessary.
- I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers.
Questions about this creamy lemon chicken orzo pasta recipe? Made it? Please leave me a comment below! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Lemon Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 cups cooked shredded/rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this infuses the orzo with more flavor and toasts it a little).
- Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. You will probably need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). It should gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked. See notes below and blog post for troubleshooting tips.
- Stir in the chicken.
- Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on how much people eat.
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream. There’s a good chance the sauce will curdle with something lower fat (due to the fairly high heat + citrus).
- If the pasta is soaking up the liquid too fast (like before the orzo is cooked), turn the heat down and/or add a splash more broth or cream. If there’s too much liquid, cover the pot for longer than suggested in the recipe and the orzo will absorb it quickly.
- Orzo is pasta. If you want to make this with rice, you may have to adjust liquid measurements and cooking time (it’s a different recipe that I have not tested).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Great recipe! My family loved this and my husband says it’s like a quicker weeknight version of risotto. We have made this twice with a few modifications and will definitely make it again.
I replaced spinach with chopped kale (personal preference) and just tossed in handfuls until it looked like a good amount. We used rotisserie chicken one time and baked some chicken breasts the other time (.75 to 1 lb yields about 2 cups or a little more, seasoned with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning).
The first time we made this I belatedly realized we only had a scant 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, so we made up the difference with the brine from a jar of capers (my sister’s brilliant idea). We added some extra because I love capers/lemon and wanted that flavor to be really present. We also added some chopped sundried tomatoes for brightness and it was an awesome addition.
I’m so pleased that you guys like this recipe!! Thanks for your detailed review… I’m sure it’ll be helpful for other readers. 🙂
We love this recipe! I made it for us using your regular servings but we’re having company and I need a larger quantity. Can I double the recipe? Will it work with the orzo? Thank u!
Hi Kerri!! I’m so glad you like this one. I think doubling it would work just fine. There’s a chance it’ll take a little longer, so just keep an eye on it. I would straight double every ingredient.
Delicious, it’s a keeper in my family. I altered and added mushrooms.
Excellent!! Glad it’s a hit.
I left off the chicken and before adding orzo and other ingredients added 1/4 cup of white cooking wine oh yes your orzo soup having lovely color a added 1 diced carrot sautéed with onions and garlic I liked it a lot ! The creamy is amazing. sorry I changed the recipe a bit I’m sure as is is absolutely delicious. thanks you so very much for sharing
It’s all good!! I’m glad you were able to tweak it to your liking and it worked well. 🙂
Made this dish last evening and LOVED it!! Thanks – it was just creamy and tasty enough; very satisfying. The only adjustment I made was that I used some of my husband’s smoked chicken which we had leftover in the freezer, and added about 3/4 Cup diced fresh Roma (paste) tomatoes to help balance the rich smoky flavor. Tomatoes were added along with the spinach. Such a great recipe to use any type of leftover cooked – roasted, grilled, or rotisserie chicken. Will definitely add this to the rotation!
I’m so happy you all enjoyed it!! Smoked chicken sounds amazing.
Holy moly, this one is fabulous! Whole family loved it, even my pickiest eater!
Yay!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
WAY too much liquid. It’s a stew.
I think the photos do a good job of illustrating what it should look like, and there’s info throughout the blog post explaining how the orzo absorbs the liquid and troubleshooting tips if there’s too much left (sounds like maybe that’s what happened to you?).
This was such an easy recipe that tasted like it was much more difficult to make!!! Creamy and delicious 🤤
Will definitely make it again!!!😍
Yay!! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it. Thanks, Betsy!
Wow! This was a fantastic and easy one pot meal. Wonderful flavor- followed the recipe but added lemon zest before serving. Husband loved it, too. Will definitely make again.
Excellent!! So happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Loved this dish. I *assumed* I had lemon juice on hand but it didn’t and substituted lime juice. Still delicious. This one is getting added to the dinner rotation.
That’s great that you enjoyed it!! I’m glad you had lime on hand! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I just finished making this dish. I’m hoping there will be enough left over for dinner. Can’t stop myself from eating it. It is awesome, I’m adding it to my weeknight meals. Thank you for sharing!
Laura
That’s great to hear!! 🙂 You’re very welcome!