Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
A bright and zesty one-pan dish combining tender chicken, delicate orzo pasta, and fresh lemon for a light yet satisfying meal. Infused with garlic, herbs, and a hint of creaminess, it’s a perfect balance of comfort and freshness – ideal for any night of the week.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 chicken thighs boneless with skin
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 lemon zest
For the pasta
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 250 g orzo
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 2 lemon juice
- 60 g grana pandano
- 80 g spinach
- 20 g rocket
Equipment
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 shallow cast iron casserole pot
- 1 bowl
Instructions
For the chicken
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add in the oregano, salt, and black pepper. Zest two lemons into the bowl over the chicken and mix it all together to completely coat the chicken.4 chicken thighs, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 lemon zest
- Preheat the pan to medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Allow the fat from the chicken skin to render, then cook to crisp up the chicken on all sides. If your chicken does not have skin, add a small drizzle of oil to the pan to coat before cooking to prevent it from sticking.
- Once the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 75C/165F remove it from the pan, slice, then cover to keep warm.
For the pasta
- To the same pan (with the oils that have come off the chicken), tip in the chopped onion and sautée until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic to the pan and stir through.1 small onion, finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Add in the orzo and half the chicken stock, stirring to cook. Keep adding in the stock gradually until the pasta is just cooked.250 g orzo, 500 ml chicken stock
- Squeeze in the juice of 1½ - 2 lemons (depending on how lemony you like it) and tip in the grana pandano cheese. Stir through until the cheese melts.2 lemon juice, 60 g grana pandano
- Tip in the spinach and rocket, mixing until the greens are just wilted. Divide the pasta between serving bowls and top with the sliced chicken. Enjoy!80 g spinach, 20 g rocket
Notes
- We would highly recommend using a non-stick pan when making this lemon chicken with orzo. This makes for super easy clean up!
- We prefer cooking this using chicken with the skin still on. This will allow you to cook the meat without requiring any additional oil, but also results in a delectable crispy skin on the cooked chicken. We love the texture of this with the smooth and creamy orzo!
- Should you prefer to cook chicken that is boneless and skinless, just add a little extra oil to the pan before cooking to ensure the chicken does not stick during cooking.
- If you find the orzo has absorbed all the stock and still requires more liquid, simply add a splash of water and continue cooking until it achieves the texture you prefer.
- Cook both the chicken and the pasta based on their individual doneness, please do not rely on the exact timings given here. The timings given in this recipe are purely for guidance only.