This post may contain affiliate links.

If you’re looking for easy midweek meals, orzo recipes are spot on. Welcome to my Lemon Chicken Orzo! A perfect one pot pasta that’s a complete meal in one pot, packed full of flavour.

A big pan filled with cooked Lemon Chicken Orzo one pot, ready to serve.

If you haven’t tried cooking with orzo pasta yet, where have you been?!

Quick to cook and so easy to use for one pot dishes.

I knew I had to create a dish of flavours that many of us love the most – Parmesan, lemon, chicken – and make them into an orzo recipe that could be made in one pot in about half an hour.

Here it is!


Why you’ll love this Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta recipe

⭐️ All in one pot, less washing up

⭐️ Ready in about 30 minutes

⭐️ A full meal with everything ready at the same time


A close look at a big pot of orzo with chicken, lemon, parmesan and spinach.

How we came up with this recipe

I am on a mission to bring as many variations for easy orzo recipes as possible, and this one gives us everything it should – a full, delicious meal, all made in one pan, without any need for extra sides. 

I took the main parts of my Marry Me Chicken Orzo recipe (this is HUGELY popular) and adapted it slightly to make way for a zesty, lemony flavour instead.

I think it really works well and I do hope you love it – it’s SO easy!

More favourite orzo recipes…


Lemon Chicken Orzo Ingredients Notes

The ingredients for Lemon Chicken Orzo one pot recipe in small bowls on a white counter top.
  • Chicken – We’re using 650g of skinless and boneless breasts for this recipe, which is about 4 breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks 
  • Garlic – I use peeled and crushed fresh garlic here, but feel free to use pre-prepared from a jar or frozen
  • Orzo – The dried kind in the pasta section
  • Hot chicken stock – Made from a cube is fine
  • Lemon – The zest and juice
  • Parmesan – Buy it grated or grate it yourself

How to make Lemon Chicken Orzo

Diced cooked chicken in a pan for step 1 in the process for Lemon Chicken Orzo recipe.

1. Fry the chicken pieces in hot oil over a medium heat (as per the recipe below) until all sides are coloured. Reduce the heat, then add oregano and garlic, stir for a few minutes.

A pan filled with sauce, cooked chicken and raw orzo for step 2 in the recipe or Lemon Orzo Chicken.

2. Add the orzo, stock, lemon zest and plenty of pepper. Cook as per the recipe below.

A pan filled with cooked orzo and chicken, ready for the next ingredients in step 3 in the recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo one pot.

3. Turn the heat down and add the cream, spinach and lemon juice. Stir well until the spinach is wilted and the cream is heated through.

Cooked Lemon Chicken Orzo in a pan with wilted spinach for step 4 in the recipe or Lemon Chicken Orzo.

4. Turn off the heat, stir in the parmesan and serve.

Tip: If the mixture becomes too dry before the orzo or chicken is cooked, add an extra splash of water (a little at a time).


Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe cooked in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or on the hob before serving.

In the freezer Creamy sauces don’t freeze terribly well, however I wouldn’t let it go to waste if you have leftovers!

If freezing is your best option, you can do so, it may need a little extra liquid (water) to be added as you reheat it.

❗️PLEASE NOTE: COOKING TIME ❗️

The cooking time for this can vary a lot depending on your pan. Always go by how well cooked your chicken and orzo are rather than by the clock.

FAQs

Can I make this dairy free?

Yes, sure. Just swap the cream cheese, cream and parmesan for dairy-free alternatives and you’re good to go.

Can you recommend an ideal pan to use for this recipe?

Use a NON-STICK pan for this. It will make your life so much easier.

See my one pan recommendations here.

Can I use a different pasta?

I wouldn’t recommend it.

This recipe has been tested multiple times specifically to work with orzo.

Orzo works here because it is sturdy, cooks so quickly and has a rice-like texture. Feel free to try but you will need to adjust the stock levels and cooking time.

You could adapt this chicken pasta recipe instead.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

5 from 9 votes

Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo

This Lemon Chicken Orzo pasta recipe is a quick, easy and delicious meal. It’s also all made in one pot for convenience and is ready in about 30 minutes. It’s so good, you’ve GOT to try it!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 650 g Chicken breast (approx. 4), Skinless and boneless | Chopped
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 3 Garlic cloves, Peeled and crushed
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 250 g Orzo
  • 650 ml Hot chicken stock, Made from a cube is fine
  • 150 ml Double cream
  • 120 g Spinach
  • 1 Lemon, Zest and juice
  • 100 g Parmesan, Grated
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. When it's hot, carefully add the chicken pieces. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until all sides are starting to colour.
  • Reduce the heat and add the garlic and oregano. Stir for 3-5 minutes until the garlic is softened.
  • Add the orzo, stock, lemon zest and plenty of pepper, give everything a good stir and put the lid on.
  • Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until both the chicken and orzo are cooked through, stirring occasionally. (If the mixture becomes too dry before the orzo or chicken is cooked, add a splash of water.)
  • Turn the heat to the lowest setting add the cream, spinach and lemon juice – continue to stir very well for 1-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the cream is heated through.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan.

Notes

Stock levels: If the mixture becomes too dry before the orzo or chicken is cooked, add an extra splash of water (a little at a time)
Cooking time: The cooking time for this can vary a lot depending on your pan, so always go by how well cooked your chicken and orzo are rather than by the clock
Pan: Use a NON-STICK pan for this. It will make your life so much easier

Nutrition

Calories: 747kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 58gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 863mgPotassium: 1163mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3626IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 389mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food
Like this? Leave a comment and rating below!Mention @myusername or tag #myhashtag!

new cookbook!

Featuring 100 delicious recipes that can be cooked in one pot, you can open any page in this book and find something that will give you not only a meal that the whole family will eat and enjoy, but also one that makes your life a little simpler in the process.

More Recipes

Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️

5 from 9 votes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

9 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was lovely and really easy to make! My only issue was that I found the parmesan to be too overpowering .. I’ll definitely make it again just with less parmesan so I can enjoy the other yummy flavours..

  2. 5 stars
    This was quite rich, but absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again, possibly reducing the amount of parmesan and swapping the double cream for crème fraiche perhaps.

  3. 5 stars
    Have tried several of Sarah’s recipes, my family have loved them all.
    Our new favourite is creamy lemon chicken with Orzo.

  4. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious 😋 Thank you.
    Will definitely make again but on a larger scale next time we have people over

  5. 5 stars
    This was amazing! Super easy to make and tasty. Highly recommend. Will be doing it again. Not really had orzo pasta before, I can see it being a stable in our house