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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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I’d say it’s a winner! I love lemon piccata, but my husband doesn’t so I didn’t overdo the lemon (meaning I followed your recipe instead of adding more like I normally would have done!). It was so creamy and yummy. I didn’t measure out my spinach so I might have had a little, but all was good! Thanks for another yummy meal!
You’re welcome, Karen! Glad your husband liked it as well 🙂
Another plate licker! Husband actually just said “seems like everything you make from there is good.” Always allow extra time and don’t skimp on the lemon, next time I’ll add at least a cup more spinach. So good! Pic on insta: @burienwino
Yay!! That’s so great. I’m so pleased you’re both enjoying these recipes!
Super excited to make this! Two questions –
1. Could I adjust the ratio of broth and cream? I was hoping to add maybe 1/2 cup of cream instead of a full cup to make it a little lighter, and assumed I could bump up the broth by 1/2 cup. I know it would be a little less creamy but would that work?
2. No spinach on hand but was thinking of adding arugula. Any thoughts or advice on that substitution?
Thank you!
Meredith
Hi! You could try #1 for sure. I am personally not the biggest fan of cooked arugula, but if you’ve done it before, I think that should work just fine. I’d probably just top the cooked dish with a handful of the fresh stuff. 🙂
Hubby made this tonight and we shared the love with some besties. Great recipe!!
Fab!! So glad it was a hit! 🙂
I have made this and it is wonderful! I picked up some halibut because my store had some fresh filets so am going to try this with the fish instead of chicken.
I’m so glad you like it! Let me know how it goes with the halibut… I am curious!
This was a hit with my family. My toddler even licked the bowl. Perfect on a cold night.
Excellent!! 😀
On a cold snowy night, we very much enjoyed this easy and delicious meal. I made it exactly as described. Thank You for sharing!!
Wonderful!! You’re welcome. Thanks for your review, Renee!
great recipe, made this with vegan chicken pieces and was delicious. best the next days as the flavours came together!
🙂
This looks like a fabulous dish! I was wondering if it can be frozen in smaller portions after cooking?
Hi! So, I am not sure this one will freeze too well. Creamy sauces are notorious for freezing badly/separating, and the orzo can get kinda puffy and mushy once it’s reheated. With that said, if you make it and happen to have some leftovers, you could try freezing a portion or two just to see if you like it.
2nd night in a row I’m making this recipe! Boyfriend had seconds last night and ate ALL of the leftovers for lunch today. He requested I make it again tonight!
I know he’s a fan of lemon and chicken piccata, so I used the juice and zest from a whole lemon. We didn’t have rotisserie chicken in stock, so I threw 4 thighs in the air fryer with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. I ended up adding a little bit of salt and pepper while the orzo was cooking, and it came out perfectly!!
Haha that’s so great to hear!! 🙂