Lemon Chicken with Orzo
This fantastic one-skillet meal comes together in less than an hour!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- CHICKEN:
- 1 1/2 lbs. skinless chicken thighs or skin-on if you prefer
- 1 T. lemon pepper salt & pepper will work too
- 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
- ORZO:
- 4 T. butter separated
- 1 lemon sliced
- 8 oz. sliced cremini or button mushrooms
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 1 1/4 c. orzo
- 1/3 c. white wine
- 2 c. chicken broth
- 1/2 c. heavy cream or full-fat milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh thyme or chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- This meal comes together quickly, so prep all ingredients before beginning.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Liberally season chicken on both sides with lemon pepper; set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, sear on both sides until golden about 3-5 minutes per side. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate; set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter and lemon slices to the skillet, sear lemons until golden on each side about 1 minute. Remove the lemon slices from the skillet to the plate with chicken.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter and mushrooms to the skillet, sauté until softened and golden about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl; set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and onions to the skillet, sauté for a minute until softened.
- Add the garlic, lemon zest, thyme, and orzo to the onions. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, and the orzo is toasted about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine stirring constantly to deglaze the pan.
- Add the broth and cream. Stir in the mushrooms. Bring to a boil stirring well; remove skillet from heat.
- Place the chicken thighs over the orzo along with the lemon slices. Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is golden and fully cooked through.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Remove the chicken and lemon slices to a plate. Stir Parmesan cheese into the risotto and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve the risotto with the chicken and lemon slices garnished with fresh thyme or chopped parsley.
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