One Pot Creamy Lemon Orzo with Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 ½ cups (10 ounces) uncooked orzo
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk (preferably not skim)
- ½ cup cream
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons - zest them before juicing, the zest will be used later)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
- 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
- 2 to 3 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the orzo and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted and sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the broth, milk, cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer. Cook at a gentle simmer (not a hard boil), stirring often, for 9 to 10 minutes until the orzo is al dente. There will still be liquid in the pan - this helps create the sauce for the pasta.
- Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed (important!).
- Stir in the chicken, spinach and lemon zest. Heat through over medium-low heat, if needed.
- Serve warm with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. The pasta will thicken as it cools and is best served as soon as possible for optimal creaminess.