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One Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo

One Pan Lemon Chicken Orzo

This one pan lemon chicken orzo is a quick, 30-minute skillet dinner with diced chicken thighs, fresh lemon, Parmesan orzo, and spinach.

Author: Kelsey Smith

Meal Type: Greek

Cuisine: Greek

Difficulty: EASY

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 serving

Calories: 497 kcal per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pound - boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoon - cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon - garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon - onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon - paprika
  • ½ teaspoon - dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon - salt
  • ¼ teaspoon - black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon - olive oil
  • 1 cup - dry orzo pasta
  • 2 ½ cup - chicken broth
  • 2 cup - baby spinach
  • ½ cup - Parmesan cheese
  • 1 - lemon

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, toss the chicken with cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  3. Stir in the dry orzo, then pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze if needed. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the chopped spinach and Parmesan. Let the spinach wilt and the cheese melt into the orzo, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  5. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice (about 2–3 tablespoons, to taste), and return the cooked chicken to the pan. Stir gently to combine.
  6. Taste and adjust salt or lemon to preference. Serve warm, garnished with lemon slices, extra Parmesan, or black pepper.

Nutrition

Energy: 497 kcal | Total Fat: 15 g | Saturated: 5 g | Trans: 0 g | Cholesterol: 174 mg | Total Carbs: 43 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sugars: 2 g | Proteins: 45 g | Sodium: 1,246 mg | Polyunsaturated: 2 g | Monounsaturated: 6 g

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