Lemon Hen and Orzo – The Keep At Dwelling Chef

With contemporary, shiny lemon and herbs, this one-pot meal is our favourite option to efficiently pull off a home-cooked meal through the busy workweek. This straightforward recipe covers your whole bases—prepared in simply 45 minutes and tremendous flavorful whereas nonetheless being a lighter choice that doesn’t depart you feeling weighed down.

Love Orzo previous as a lot as we do? Attempt our straightforward and scrumptious One Pot Italian Chicken Orzo.

Orzo pasta elevates this straightforward dish and pairs effectively with the lemon rooster, maintaining issues attention-grabbing so that you don’t should fall again on boring, boiled pasta. Whenever you want a fast and simple dinner with minimal cleanup, this Lemon Hen and Orzo is the right resolution.

Ingredient Notes

• Hen Breasts: You may also use boneless thighs in the event you want darker meat. Simply ensure that to chop them into bite-size items and trim off any fats.
• Olive Oil: Substitute with any impartial cooking oil, reminiscent of vegetable or canola oil.
• Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium choice permits you to greatest management the flavour. It’s an important chef tip.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works effectively and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed at all times has the perfect taste.
• Orzo: This short-cut pasta resembles rice and is discovered within the pasta aisle in a field or plastic container. Test the cooking time in your package deal for the perfect outcomes.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded or grated Parmesan at all times melts the perfect.

Hen Choices

Rotisserie Hen: In the event you’re in a rush, rotisserie rooster is a improbable time-saver. Since rotisserie chickens are often a loss chief for grocery shops, it’s a money-saver too! Merely shred about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of pre-cooked rooster and stir it in throughout the previous few minutes of cooking.

Leftover Hen: Received leftover rooster from a earlier meal? Whether or not it’s grilled, baked, or roasted, you’ll be able to simply shred it and add it to your soup. This can be a nice option to decrease waste and provides new life to leftovers.

Hen Thighs: In the event you want darkish meat, boneless rooster thighs are a tasty different to rooster breasts. They add a richer taste to the soup and have a tendency to remain extra tender and juicy. Sear and cook dinner them simply as you’ll rooster breasts.

Add Veggies

Simply add some shade to this one-pot dish by incorporating contemporary greens. Asparagus, broccoli, and inexperienced beans are all nice choices that pair effectively with lemon, basil, and parmesan.

For asparagus, add chopped asparagus over the past 3–4 minutes of cooking so it stays tender-crisp.

For broccoli, stir in small broccoli florets about 5 minutes earlier than the orzo is completed to make sure they soften with out turning into mushy.

For inexperienced beans, minimize into bite-sized items and add them over the past 5 minutes of cooking for the perfect texture.

If utilizing softer veggies like spinach or cherry tomatoes, stir them in after turning off the warmth and allow them to wilt from the residual heat.

The Proper Pan

Measurement Issues: Go for a big, deep skillet (12 inches or greater). It offers the rooster and orzo loads of room to cook dinner evenly and retains every little thing from spilling out whenever you stir.

Lid Required: You’ll want a lid to cowl the pan whereas the orzo cooks. In case your skillet doesn’t have one, no worries—simply cowl it tightly with foil.

No skillet? No drawback! A large, shallow Dutch oven or braiser works like a attraction.