Lemon Chicken and Orzo
Chicken thigh pieces and orzo cook in one pot with lemon and spinach, finished with parsley.
- Original yieldYield
- 4 servings4 servings
- PrepPrep time
- CookCook time
- TotalTotal time
Allows for browning, simmering and a 3-minute rest; check pasta texture and chicken temperature rather than relying on the clock.
Published Updated
Original recipe: 4 servings
The story behind the recipe
Lemon juice and zest finish this pot in different ways. The juice sharpens the chicken stock around the orzo; the zest brings the scent of fresh peel closer to the spoon. Chicken thighs and spinach make it a complete bowl, with just enough liquid left to keep the small pasta moving as you serve.
Small pasta, a substantial dinner
Orzo looks like rice but is pasta, and that difference is worth knowing before choosing a packet. Its small shape gives you several pieces in every spoonful and lets it sit among the chicken without needing to be cut. Here it cooks directly in stock, so the liquid that softens it also becomes part of the dinner.
The orzo takes up the stock's flavor as it cooks. You aren't draining the orzo and introducing it to a separate finished sauce; the two develop together. It also means the pot needs occasional attention, especially at the bottom where the little pieces can settle and catch.
The mixture should look a little loose when the heat goes off. Pasta continues taking up liquid during the short rest and while you fill the bowls. If you wait for a completely dry pot, the meal will be thicker still by the time someone sits down to it.
Read more about this recipe
Brown the chicken, finish with lemon
Boneless thighs give the dish small, substantial pieces of chicken. Browning them in batches leaves flavorful patches in the pot for the onion and stock to pick up. It's the most active stretch of the recipe, and crowding all the chicken in at once would make that stage harder.
The chicken finishes in the same simmer as the pasta, but each needs its own check. The method gives a temperature endpoint for the meat and a tenderness cue for the orzo, including what to do if one finishes first. That flexibility is more helpful than assuming they will always become ready at the same instant.
Spinach needs little time to wilt, so it goes in late. Parsley, juice and zest follow off the heat, giving the cooked chicken and stock a fresh edge. Grate only the lemon's colored skin; the white pith underneath brings bitterness without the same fragrant oils.
Compare this one-pot dinner with the chickpea skillet, salmon bowls and other options in five weeknight dinners.
Make it your wayOriginal: 4 servings
Original recipe: 4 servings
Ingredients
For 4 servings. Quantities are shown as written.
Source measurement convention: Metric. Explicit unit definitions take precedence; unconfirmed measures must be checked before conversion.
Original quantities for 4 servings.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces600 g
- Olive oil30 ml
- Yellow onion, finely diced150 g
- Garlic, finely chopped12 g
- Dry orzo pasta300 g
- Low-sodium chicken stock750 ml
- Baby spinach120 g
- Fresh lemon juice30 ml
- Finely grated lemon zest2 g
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped10 g
- Fine salt4 g
- Ground black pepper1 g
Measurement notes
Measurement notes
Original ingredients
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 30 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 12 g garlic, finely chopped
- 300 g dry orzo pasta
- 750 ml low-sodium chicken stock
- 120 g baby spinach
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 g finely grated lemon zest
- 10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 4 g fine salt
- 1 g ground black pepper
Equipment
4-liter heavy Dutch oven
Instant-read meat thermometer
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with the fine salt and ground black pepper. Keep the raw-chicken plate separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.
Brown the chicken
Heat the olive oil in a 4-liter Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in two batches for about 3 to 4 minutes per batch; it will finish cooking later. Transfer to a plate reserved for the partly cooked chicken.
Soften the onion
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the yellow onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Add pasta and stock
Stir in the dry orzo, then pour in the chicken stock. Return the chicken and any collected juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer and check doneness
Cover and simmer gently for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring the bottom every few minutes so the orzo does not stick. Check that the pasta is tender and the thickest chicken pieces reach 74°C (165°F). If the pasta needs longer and the pot is dry, add hot water 30 ml at a time and continue cooking; if the chicken finishes first, move it to a clean plate until the pasta is ready.
Finish with greens and lemon
Stir in the baby spinach until wilted, then take the pot off the heat. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and flat-leaf parsley, returning any fully cooked chicken. Rest for 3 minutes, then divide among four bowls.
Estimated calories 530 kcal
Nutrition portion: 1/4 of recipe · Original yield: 4 servings
Source & assumptions
Ingredient-based estimate using CoFID 2021, identified USDA reference entries and representative product labels. Approximately 530 kcal per original serving; ingredients and preparation affect values.
Recipe notes
When adjusting quantities
Keep chicken pieces the same size. Brown in batches and use a pot with enough capacity; liquid loss and cooking time do not scale directly.
Original recipe notes
These notes describe the original recipe. Quantities mentioned here do not change when you adjust servings.
The listed stock is the starting amount. Orzo brands and evaporation differ; the small hot-water additions in the method are only for finishing pasta that still needs liquid. Keep the simmer gentle.
Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C (90°F). Use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat to 74°C (165°F), loosening with a little water as needed.
Read the scaling guide. Times, temperatures and equipment need their own consideration. Open the recipe tool to review and correct individual amounts.
Recipe details
- Course or meal
- Dinner
- Cuisine
- Other / International
- Cooking method
- One pot
- Occasion
- Weeknight
- Browse category
- Main Dishes