Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo)

A delicious, creamy “cheat’s risotto” topped with lemony chicken.

Creamy pasta is my go-to comfort food at the best of times, but when it’s as easy as this recipe and made in one pan, it takes on a new level of amazing! This Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo) requires very little preparation, but is incredibly delicious to eat. It cooks quickly and easily in the one pan making it the perfect family dinner for busy weeknights when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen! I love this recipe so much that I included it in my new cookbook Simple Dinners Every Day.

Risoni, also called orzo, is an oval-shaped pasta that looks like grains of rice, which takes on a risotto-like texture and taste in this recipe. The dish is loaded with delicious lemon-garlic flavours and then finished with lashings of parmesan – of course!

I stir in some baby spinach in the last few minutes of cooking because it requires no chopping, but don’t feel limited. Vegetables like asparagus, broccoli or sliced green beans can be added directly to the pan just after the butter. Once prepared, the dish can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated ready for when you need it!

Make sure you check out my One Pot recipes for more ideas!

Can I customise the ingredients?

This recipe can be loaded with vegetables to suit your family’s tastes. You can use up to 2 cups of additional vegetables. Sliced asparagus, sliced green beans, sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini (courgette), finely chopped broccoli, shredded kale or finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes would all work well. Add the vegetables after step 3 in the recipe (once the chicken has been removed from the pan). Cook the vegetables for 3–5 minutes until softened (add more oil if required) before proceeding with the remainder of the recipe. Cut the vegetables into small pieces as it will make the overall texture of the dish even more enjoyable. Vegetables like frozen peas, which take less time to cook, can be added in the final 2 minutes of cooking.

How to perfectly cook one-pan pasta?

To make a one-pan pasta dish (where the pasta is cooked in the pan with the sauce), it’s important that you use a heavy-based piece of cookware, such as a heavy-based casserole dish (cast-iron) or a thick-based, deep frying pan. Thin cookware will not heat evenly and may leave you with too much or too little liquid. The liquid needs to be simmering the entire time (gently with small bubbles). If it isn’t, modify the heat by turning it up or down slightly to maintain that simmer.

Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead?

Yes! I often prefer to make Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo) with chicken thighs as I find them more juicy. Increase the chicken cooking time to 5–6 minutes on each side, as thighs can take a little longer to cook.

Watch how to make Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo)

What are some other risoni (orzo) recipes?

If you love risoni (orzo), I think you’ll enjoy:

Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Risoni (Orzo)
Creamy Tomato Chicken Risoni (Orzo)
Marry Me Chicken Risoni (Orzo)
Risoni Mozzarella Meatballs
Mediterranean Risoni (Orzo)

Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo)

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5 from 33 reviews

This Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo), comes together in just over 30 minutes, all cooked in the one pan with minimal prep and washing up! It’s comforting, delicious and makes the perfect weeknight meal.

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

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CHICKEN

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 thinner steaks (see note 1 for using chicken thighs)
• 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 40 g (11/2 oz) butter
• 1 lemon, cut into slices

RISONI (ORZO)

• 1 cup (200 g) risoni (orzo), uncooked
• 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
• 1 cup (250 ml) thickened (heavy) cream
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach leaves 
• 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• Sea salt flakes, to taste
• Lemon balm or freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. In a shallow dish, combine the chicken with the garlic, oregano, paprika, onion powder, olive oil, salt and pepper. Use clean hands to ensure the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.
2. Heat a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat and cook the chicken for 4–5 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. 
3. Add the butter and scatter the lemon slices around the chicken in the last 2 minutes of cooking to caramelise (the juices will release in the pan and create a beautiful flavour). Set the chicken and caramelised lemon slices aside on a plate.
4. To the same pan, add the risoni, chicken stock, cream, lemon juice and mustard. Stir and bring to a simmer.
5. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium–low so that it is bubbling gently. Cook for 10–12 minutes, uncovered, stirring regularly.
6. Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat. Stir the spinach leaves and parmesan through the risoni. Season with the pepper and salt to taste. Cover and allow to sit for 2–3 minutes (see note 2 below for tips).
7. Serve the risoni topped with the cooked chicken (slice first if desired). Top with the caramelised lemon slices before serving and garnish with lemon balm or parsley (if using). 

Equipment

Large Wooden Spoon

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Staub Chistera

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Tongs

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Notes

Note 1 – You can use chicken thighs, but increase the chicken cooking time to 5–6 minutes on each side, as thighs can take a little longer to cook.

Note 2 – If you feel the risoni is too stiff (it’s not saucy and is clumping together more than you would like), simply add 1–2 tablespoons, at a time, of boiling water from the kettle, stirring the sauce rapidly. This will loosen the mixture. 

Make ahead

Marinate the chicken in the spices, then refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. 

Leftovers

Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Not suitable to freeze. 

Recipe source

Source – Recipe inspired by One Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken and Orzo from Half Baked Harvest which you can view here.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes