We love orzo around here for its perfectly al dente texture! Try it with Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Greek Orzo, Italian Chicken Orzo Pasta, Parmesan Meatballs and Orzo and Southwest Orzo Salad,
WATCH: Lemon Orzo Chicken
Creamy Chicken Orzo Ingredients
This recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo takes advantage of so many fresh summer flavors, including lemon, zucchini, and fresh herbs. Here’s what you’ll need to make lemon orzo with chicken:
Chicken Lemon Orzo substutions
To minimize the amount of chopping required for this recipe, try using one or more of the following ingredient swaps:
How to make Lemon Chicken with Orzo
This Lemon Chicken Orzo is a straightforward recipe that’s almost impossible to mess up. The chicken is first cooked most of the way through before the orzo, aromatics, and zucchini are added in. After the broth and other liquids are added to the pot, the orzo is cooked until al dente and then mixed with melty cheese! Let’s take a closer look at how to make it (full recipe measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Step 1: Prep the chicken. Pat the chopped chicken dry and season with paprika, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Brown the chicken. Brown the chicken until opaque, but not cooked through. Remove to a plate.
Step 3: Sauté the chicken and aromatics. Melt the butter in the chicken drippings and sauté the onions for a few minutes to give them a head start. Next, add the orzo and sauté for a couple minutes to toast it (for extra flavor and prevents it from easily becoming mushy) then add the garlic and zucchini and cook an additional 2 minutes or until the onions are completely tender.
Step 4: Cook the orzo. Add the evaporated milk, chicken broth whisked with cornstarch, lemon zest and lemon juice, chicken bouillon, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until orzo is tender, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Add the cheeses. Stir in the mozzarella cheese until melted followed by the feta, fresh basil, fresh dill and fresh parsley. Dig in!
Swap protein: Swap the chicken for rotisserie chicken, ground chicken, chicken sausage, lean ground beef or Italian sausage or add roasted or sautéed shrimp or salmon at the end of cooking. This lemon orzo would also be great to stir in leftover chicken, pork, or steak! Add extra veggies: Add sautéed mushrooms, eggplant, bell peppers, green beans, tomatoes, peas, corn or spinach to the orzo. You will want to stir the peas and spinach into the orzo after simmering. Add artichokes: Artichokes are tender, slightly sweet and nutty. Purchase artichoke hearts in water NOT marinated. The marinated ones often have an acrid taste. Chop and add to the simmering sauce. Make a crunchy topping: Add panko toasted in butter and olive oil to the top of the lemon orzo. Swap cheese: Instantly change the flavor profile by changing one or all of the cheeses. You can swap the feta for Parmesan, and the mozzarella for Gouda, Havarti, cheddar, Pepper Jack, etc.
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