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This Lemon Chicken Orzo is rich, creamy, and SO flavorful. Made with juicy shredded chicken, orzo pasta, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and tangy feta cheese, it’s the ultimate 30-minute one-pot meal.
This lemon chicken orzo is about as quick and easy as it gets. Packed with bright fresh lemony flavor and tangy feta cheese, it has a similar texture to risotto but is SO much easier to make. Juicy shredded chicken and frozen peas are added to make it a complete and delicious meal the whole family will love.
Table of Contents
About This Recipe
- Everything cooks in one pot, which simplifies preparation and cleanup.
- Combining lemon with creamy chicken offers one of the most classic examples of flavor balancing. The acidity and zestiness of the lemon naturally brighten the savory chicken and rich cream sauce.
- Pre-cooked shredded chicken (or rotisserie) with frozen, thawed peas are convenient and save time in the kitchen.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Ingredients
Below are descriptions of the key ingredients in this recipe, including possible substitutions. You can find the printable recipe with measurements for each ingredient in the recipe card below.
- Orzo: Orzo is a thin, oval, rice-shaped pasta usually made from semolina flour. It is not rice, but pasta, and is not gluten-free.
- Cooking liquid: This recipe uses a combination of dry white wine (optional but recommended), chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and heavy cream to cook and soften the orzo. Low-fat alternatives to heavy cream are not recommended as they are likely to curdle with the acidity from the lemon juice.
- Cooked, shredded chicken: This recipe calls for about 2 cups precooked shredded oven baked chicken breasts, poached chicken, or rotisserie chicken. This pasta is also great with seafood like baked salmon, shrimp, or crab cakes.
- Parmesan cheese: The saltiness of the parmesan compliments the garlic and cream nicely. For best results, I highly recommend shredding your own parm straight from the block.
- Frozen peas: Remember to thaw them before adding them to the pasta.
- Feta cheese: For an extra tangy punch! It pairs so well with extra lemon juice when serving. Optional, of course.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta
Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
To make this lemon chicken orzo, start by softening the aromatics. Sauté the diced onion in a mix of olive oil and butter over medium heat until tender, then stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the dry orzo pasta and toast it with the onions for a few minutes, stirring often to prevent it from burning.
Once the orzo is nice and toasted, pour in a splash of white wine (if using), followed by the chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
Once the orzo is cooked and tender, stir in the shredded chicken, parmesan, thawed peas, and crumbled feta. Finish by seasoning with more lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste before serving.
Tip: For extra lemon flavor, try adding a little lemon zest. A Microplane grater makes zesting lemons super easy. Bottled lemon juice is not recommended.
Serving Ideas
This creamy lemon chicken orzo is delicious with a side of roasted zucchini, roasted asparagus, or roast butternut squash. You could also try it with my easy house salad recipe, this simple arugula salad with shaved parmesan, or a balsamic tomato basil salad when fresh tomatoes are in season.
Craving more creamy pasta recipes? Try my Alfredo Sauce Recipe (a reader-favorite), this Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas, or this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Spinach.
Storage and Leftovers
This lemon chicken orzo 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 gently in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of heavy cream or broth, if needed. Freezing is not recommended.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe
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
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.
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
