One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken with Orzo & Spinach
A quick and easy complete meal in one dish: One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken with Orzo & Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 large lemons zest and lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 3 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt & black pepper
- 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Peel and mince the garlic. Set aside.
- Zest one of the lemons and set aside.
- Squeeze 5 tbsp of juice from the lemons (about 1 1/2 lemons) into a cup and set aside. Reserve the other half lemon for serving.
- Shred 1 1/2 cups of rotisserie chicken, using the white breast meat. You can use two forks or your hands. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
- Chop the baby spinach leaves into smaller pieces.
- Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet.
- Cook the minced garlic over medium-high heat about 1 minute. Do not let it burn.
- Add 1 cup of uncooked orzo pasta to the skillet.
- Stir in two cups of chicken broth and bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the orzo is tender and the liquid is almost completely evaporated, 8-9 minutes. Be sure to stir regularly so that the orzo doesn't stick to the pan. For best results, move to the next step when there is still just a bit of visible liquid in the pan.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream, stirring constantly until combined.
- Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to combine.
- Lower to medium heat and let the mixture cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the shredded chicken and toss the entire mixture so that the orzo and the chicken are coated in the lemon and garlic cream sauce.
- Lightly sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
- Place the chopped baby spinach on top of the skillet and let wilt, about 4-5 minutes. You can stir it in to speed up the process once you see the spinach starting to wilt.
- If you would like a little extra flavor and heat, you can sprinkle 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes over the dish and stir to combine.
- Add 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Allow the cheese to melt, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve this creamy lemon orzo pasta with chicken as is or, as a final touch, squeeze a little more lemon juice on each individual servings.