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Home » Dinners & Main Course » Lemon Chicken Orzo

Lemon Chicken Orzo

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
November 3, 2022
5 from 7 votes


Last Updated November 3, 2022 | 0 Comments

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Pinterest Pin Image

This Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe is made with simple ingredients like tender shredded chicken, orzo pasta, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and tangy feta cheese. It’s the perfect creamy, comforting, and delicious one-pot meal the whole family will love!

Small while plate filled with lemon chicken orzo.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo

This creamy lemon chicken orzo pasta is an easy and delicious one-pan weeknight dinner packed with yummy Greek flavors. It’s similar to risotto, but easier to make, and is made with pre-cooked rotisserie (or leftover) chicken, saving on dishes and cooking time.

You’ll love this chicken and orzo for its bright and flavorful lemony cream sauce with tangy feta cheese and tender shredded chicken.

What is Orzo?

Orzo is a thin, oval, rice-shaped pasta. It is usually made from semolina flour, a type of flour that comes from durum wheat, however, it may also be made from all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

Orzo is not rice, it is pasta, and it is not gluten-free.

Pan filled with creamy cooked orzo made with lemon, cream, shredded chicken, peas, and feta cheese.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo

Start by cooking the onion in a little olive oil and butter over medium-high for about five minutes. Once softened, stir in the minced garlic and the dry orzo pasta. Combine with the onions. Toast the orzo for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

Add a splash of wine to the pan (optional), then add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream.

You’ll want to bring everything to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring often. Orzo sticks to the bottom of the pan, so some stirring is required. Once the orzo is tender, stir in the cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, thawed peas, and crumbled feta cheese. Remove from heat.

Season with additional fresh lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, to taste.

Cooking Tip

For even more lemon flavor, try adding a little lemon zest. A Microplane grater makes zesting lemons super easy. Bottled lemon juice is not recommended.

Pan filled with softened onions and uncooked orzo toasting un butter.

Storage and Leftovers

Like most creamy pasta dishes, this chicken and orzo recipe is best enjoyed immediately. If you do have leftovers, keep them stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You will probably need to add a splash of chicken broth as the orzo will have continued to absorb the sauce as it cooled.

Freezing is not recommended.

Orzo, shredded chicken, and peas in a creamy lemon sauce.

How to Serve

This recipe pairs really well with this arugula salad with shaved parmesan or fresh balsamic tomato basil salad. A side of roasted asparagus or roasted zucchini is also really yummy.

More Lemon Chicken Recipes

  • Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
  • Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
  • Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe
  • Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
  • Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders
  • Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

If you try making this Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!

Small while plate filled with lemon chicken orzo.
Small while plate filled with lemon chicken orzo.

Lemon Chicken Orzo

5 from 7 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe is made with simple ingredients like tender shredded chicken, orzo pasta, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and tangy feta cheese. It's the perfect creamy, comforting, and delicious one-pan meal the whole family will love!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Dinner, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 691 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small yellow onion - diced
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 cup orzo pasta - uncooked
  • 1 splash dry white wine - optional
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup thawed frozen peas
  • 4 oz feta cheese
  • salt and pepper - to taste
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Instructions
 

  • Add the olive oil and butter to a pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring often.
  • Add the minced garlic and dry orzo pasta, mixing well to combine with the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this toasts the orzo and is a simple way to add extra flavor to the pasta).
  • If desired, add a splash of dry white wine to the pan before adding the chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream. If you prefer not to cook with wine, skip it and just add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream.
  • Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, maintaining some gentle bubbling. Orzo tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, especially if the heat is too high, so stir often.
  • Once the orzo is fully cooked, stir in the shredded cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, thawed peas, and feta cheese. Mix well to combine then remove from heat.
  • Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.

Jessica’s Notes

  • This recipe is best with heavy cream versus lower-fat alternatives like whole milk which may curdle with the high heat and citrus combination.
  • I used leftover rotisserie chicken to make this recipe, but any pre-cooked chicken will work including boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
  • Orzo is pasta and is not gluten-free. Substitute with a gluten-free orzo alternative, usually made from a combination of corn flour and rice flour.
  • For extra lemon flavor, add a teaspoon or so of lemon zest.
  • Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You may need to add a splash of water or chicken broth when reheating as the orzo will continue to absorb liquid as it cools.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 988mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1533IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 2mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Chicken and Orzo, Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo, Lemon Chicken Orzo
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About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

81 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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