Easy lemon chicken with creamy spinach orzo

Creamy spinach orzo topped with juicy lemon chicken breasts is a delicious and easy weeknight dinner recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts. Boneless + skinless.
• Olive oil. 
• Fresh garlic.
• Lemon juice. 
• Paprika.
• Italian herbs / Italian seasoning. 
• Orzo pasta. 
• Baby spinach. 
• Mascarpone. Alternatively you can use cream or cream cheese.
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper. 
• Fresh basil, for serving.

How to make lemon chicken with orzo

1. How to cook orzo pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain. Set aside.
2. Marinate and cook the chicken: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a chopping board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. With a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten the chicken out slightlyto approximately 1-2 cm (½in) thickness. Place the chicken in a bowl or zip top bag and pour over the marinade. Allow to marinade for a few minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat then add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
3. Make the creamy spinach orzo: In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the baby spinach and garlic and allow to cook until the spinach has wilted. Add the mascarpone and a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Stir until a smooth, creamy sauce develops. Add in the grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir in the cooked orzo and add more of the pasta cooking water if necessary. You want the pasta to be super creamy and not too thick. Top with the cooked chicken and fresh basil then serve.

Easy orzo recipes

1. Easy lemon orzo salad
2. Greek orzo salad with grilled chicken

Easy lemon chicken with creamy spinach orzo

Creamy spinach orzo topped with juicy lemon chicken breasts is a delicious and easy weeknight dinner recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes!

4.37 from 47 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Keyword: lemon chicken, Orzo, Orzo pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 436kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• ½ tsp paprika
• 2 tsp Italian herbs / Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

For the creamy spinach orzo

• 300 g (10.5oz) orzo pasta
• 200 g (7oz) baby spinach washed and dried
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• ½ cup mascarpone
• ½ cup pasta cooking water (reserved from the orzo)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon to taste
• fresh basil for serving

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
• Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain the orzo. Set aside. 
• Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and set aside.
• Place the chicken on a chopping board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. With a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten the chicken out slightlyto approximately 1-2 cm (½in) thickness.
• Place the chicken in a bowl or zip top bag and pour over the marinade. Allow to marinade for a few minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat then add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.  
• In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the baby spinach and garlic and allow to cook until the spinach has wilted.
• Add the mascarpone and a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Stir until a smooth, creamy sauce develops.
• Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Add the cooked orzo and add more of the pasta cooking water if necessary.
• Top with the cooked chicken and fresh basil then serve. 

Nutrition

Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1039mg | Potassium: 891mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5048IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 4mg