This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta is made in one skillet in less than 35 minutes! It’s the perfect dinner for busy weeknights when you want a delicious pasta dish
for the whole family.
Easy one-pot pasta dinners are a lifesaver on hectic days. This lemon chicken orzo recipe is one of our new favorite dinners because everything cooks in one pan—including the orzo pasta. Fresh greens like baby spinach are added with the asparagus to create a complete meal that’s both hearty and flavorful.
If you’re a fan of lemon chicken orzo soup or just love versatile orzo recipes, this dish is a great choice! You’ll love it for many reasons:
- It’s a full meal with tender chicken, pasta, and nutritious greens.
- The entire dish is ready in just 35 minutes of cooking from start to finish.
- Orzo pasta, a great dish with its grain-like texture, pairs beautifully with chicken and lemon.
- Everything, including the orzo cooks, in one pot, which means fewer dishes to clean!
- It’s flexible—adjust the veggies and flavors to suit your taste, from adding fresh dill to finishing with a squeeze of lemon.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that’s often mistaken for grains like rice. Made from wheat flour, it’s lighter than traditional pasta and perfect for creamy dishes, soups, and salads. Found in the pasta aisle, orzo cooks quickly, making it ideal for easy weeknight dinners or complete meals. Its unique shape soaks up flavors beautifully, adding a touch of elegance to any dish
Ingredients You Need
- Olive Oil – Used to cook the chicken breast and to toast the orzo pasta in the skillet.
- Chicken Breast – This high-protein meat is the perfect complement to lemon and orzo pasta.
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper – Helps to season the chicken and the rest of the dish.
- Orzo Pasta – This grain-shaped pasta is the perfect fit for this meal.
- Garlic & Onion – Infuses the dish with fresh garlic and onion flavor.
- Chicken Broth – Adds flavor to the cooked pasta as well as nutrients. If you want to add in some extra protein, you can opt for chicken bone broth instead.
- Asparagus – Adds beautiful green color and nutritious vegetables.
- Greens – Fresh greens also offer great nutrition to the dish. You can use baby spinach, kale, or your favorite green vegetable.
- Lemon Juice & Zest – Brings the dish to life with the classic bright lemon flavor and a vibrant pop of fresh acidity.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese – Adds a creamy and salty texture to the dish and makes a great garnish.
How to Make Lemon Orzo with Chicken
- Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a few teaspoons of olive oil. Add the seasoned chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Toast the orzo. Add onion to the skillet and sauté for a minute before stirring in the orzo pasta and minced garlic. Let the orzo toast slightly for a nuttier flavor.
- Add liquid and simmer. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cook the vegetables. Stir in asparagus and continue cooking for 5 minutes until tender. Add baby spinach and cook for an additional minute. Remove the lid and cook uncovered until any excess liquid is absorbed.
- Stir everything together. Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet with the lemon juice, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Prepping ahead. Prep and chop the onion and asparagus in advance to save time. You can also pre-cut the chicken. Prepping the ingredients in advance saves even more time on the night you cook this meal.
- Zest fresh lemon. The fresh lemon zest adds the most flavor to this lemon orzo with chicken dish. You can adjust and add more or less lemon zest, as desired.
- Use water in a pinch. If you don’t have chicken or vegetable stock, you can use water, but chicken stock or vegetable stock adds more flavor and nutrition to the dish.
- Chop chicken breasts into even sized pieces. This will ensure the chicken cooks evenly. Chicken is fully cooked at an internal temperature of 165F.
- Sautéing the orzo with the onion and oil helps create a great nutty flavor in the orzo pasta which compliments the rest of the flavors. Do not skip this step!
Variations
- Orzo Pasta Substitution: If you can’t find orzo pasta, you can use quick-cooking rice or your favorite small grain pasta. You may need to adjust the cooking time and the amount of liquid to create the same consistency.
- Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, if desired.
- Use rotisserie chicken. You can use cooked rotisserie chicken to save time. Simply add it to the recipe when it says to add the cooked chicken back to the pasta.
- Add fresh herbs. Stir in some fresh basil or fresh thyme for a pop of fresh herb flavor.
- Change up the greens by using collard greens, beet greens, radish greens or even the leaves of carrot tops in place of the spinach or kale. Sometimes I like to add cherry tomatoes.
- Switch up the cheese. Change up the cheese by using mozzarella, pecorino romano or even fresh feta or goat cheese for a tangy and salty bite.
Using FROZEN VEGGIES: You can use frozen asparagus but you may need to adjust your cook time slightly to add one or two additional minutes onto the cook time after adding the asparagus. We do NOT recommend using frozen spinach in this lemon chicken orzo pasta because it retains too much water.
The combination of chicken, orzo, and fresh lemon is a winning flavor duo. Add in the nutritious greens and asparagus, and you’ve got a quick, satisfying meal that’s full of vibrant taste. This lemon chicken orzo recipe is a fan favorite, and once you try it, you’ll see why!
Other Easy One Pot Dinners
Want more quick and easy one-pot dinners? These recipes are here to save you time and make cleanup a breeze. Give them a try!
- One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Turkey Taco Quinoa Skillet
- Thai Chicken Peanut Rice Skillet
- Easy Tortellini Minestrone Soup
Did you try this lemon chicken orzo pasta? Leave a recipe review and rating below.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup fresh asparagus cut into 1″ pieces
- 3 to 5 ounces spinach, or kale
- zest and juice from one lemon
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot add in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the chicken is thoroughly cooked then remove it from the skillet onto a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet then add in the onion. Sauté for one minute or until the onion starts to soften.
- Add in the orzo and garlic and sauté for about a minute. Pour in the chicken broth, stir everything together and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes and then add the asparagus. Simmer covered for an additional 5 minutes, then add the spinach. Cook for one minute or until spinach is wilted. Remove the lid and if there is any excess liquid remaining continue to cook uncovered for another minute.
- Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese until everything is combined. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
