This comforting, One-Pan Creamy Lemon Orzo was exactly what I needed now that Chicago's "fake spring" has officially come and gone. Lemon in a creamy pasta dish always takes the dish and makes it feel lighter and bright. Honestly, this turned out even better than I expected. I wanted to use what I already had in my kitchen, and somehow it came together way better than I expected, and was very low effort. Here's the quick and easy recipe:
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⅓ cups orzo
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
- 2–3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- Smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
- Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Heat a deep pan over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes. Once hot, drizzle in the olive oil.
- Gently lay in the chicken thighs and cook through, about 5–7 minutes per side or until 180°. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Turn the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the uncooked orzo and toast for about 5 minutes, until pieces of the orzo are golden brown.
- Pour in the chicken broth (I added a small teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon here for extra flavor). Cover and cook until the orzo is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Be careful not to overcook orzo.
- Stir in the lemon juice, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and fresh parsley. Add crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Slice the chicken thighs and serve over the orzo. Top with extra parsley and parmesan, and serve!
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