Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo
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This Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo is easy to make in 35 minutes and full of bright lemon flavors! Tender chicken pieces, a high protein creamy lemon sauce, orzo, spinach and green peas come together to make a delicious and satisfying one pan meal!
If you love lemon cream sauce pasta dishes, you’re going to love this Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo!
We have here:
- Perfectly seasoned and cooked tender chicken pieces.
- Al-dente orzo pasta.
- Pops of protein and fiber rich green peas and baby spinach.
- A creamy, high protein lemon cream sauce made with blended cottage cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It’s beautifully seasoned with everyday seasonings and dried herbs.
- Fresh basil to round out the flavors make everything look pretty!
This dish is a high protein meal that is satiating, comforting and SO flavorful! It’s perfect for easy weeknight dinners, ready in 35 minutes, and can be made for meal prep too!
Note: This post was originally published in October 2023. I’ve since then updated the recipe to make it more nutritious and flavorful, the cooking process more efficient, added new photos, measurements and more. I hope you enjoy!
Why I Love Creamy Lemon Orzo with Chicken
- Quick and easy. One-pan meal that comes together in 35 minutes!
- High protein. Using blended cottage cheese allows us to build a high protein creamy sauce without using heavy cream. One serving of this delicious pasta dish has 54 grams of protein and will keep you satisfied and full for hours!
- Bright and flavorful! It’s ultra-lemony and zingy thanks to adding fresh squeezed lemon juice at the end, letting the vibrant flavors shine. There’s also an additional hint of tang from cottage cheese.
- Customizable. It can be made as spicy or mild as you like, with shrimp, vegetarian, or with other veggies, etc.
- Fantastic for meal prep! It’s easy to scale up to make a double batch and can be enjoyed as an easy reheatable lunch or dinner during the week!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Aromatics: We have yellow onion (substitute with shallots), fresh garlic, and fresh red chilies for some heat. I’ve used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies which are quite hot but feel free to use any variety and adjust the quantity to taste based on your heat level preference. Omit them if you prefer a milder pasta dish.
- Seasoned Chicken: I’ve used sliced boneless and skinless chicken breasts and seasoned it with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Chicken thigh fillets can be used instead if you prefer.
- Unsalted Butter and Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For cooking and to add a savory richness to the dish.
- Orzo: A short-cut type of pasta that resembles the shape of rice. It cooks perfectly in the pan with broth without needing a separate pot. Use whole wheat orzo if preferred.
- Seasonings: We have kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground cayenne and crushed red pepper chili flakes.
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base: I love using this chicken broth base along with water to make an instant homemade chicken broth. It’s packed with flavor and adds an extra oomph that store-bought stock cubes or broth in a carton don’t have! Plus, it’s great for when you want a small amount of broth and don’t want open up a large carton. Substitute with homemade or store-bought chicken stock or broth.
- Green veggies: I’ve added frozen green peas and baby spinach to add nutrients and greenery.
- Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens up the entire dish and adds a hint of tang. I use this citrus juicer and absolutely love it! It allows you to squeeze as much juice as possible from the lemon with the least amount of effort. It’s great for squeezing limes too!
- Blended Whole Milk Cottage Cheese: I used blended whole milk cottage cheese and recommend it for the best texture and flavor. Low-fat cottage cheese (2%) will work too but the flavor may be slightly more tangy and less creamy than if using 4% cottage cheese.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese): Use freshly grated from a block for the best flavor.
- Fresh Basil: Rounds out the bright and spicy flavors with its sweet herbaceous notes. Substitute with chopped fresh parsley instead.
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Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo
Made with tender chicken, a high protein lemon cream sauce, orzo, spinach and green peas, this Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo is a delicious and satisfying one pan meal that’s ready in just 35 minutes!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 9 ounces / 255 grams Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless – cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika (hot or sweet)
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for cooking
Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo:
- ¼ medium / 50 grams Yellow Onion – finely chopped
- 2–3 cloves / 15 grams Garlic – minced
- 1–3 pieces / 3-15 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional, I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies, omit for a milder dish – note 1*) – finely chopped
- ½ cup / 10 grams fresh Basil Leaves, loosely packed – thinly sliced
- 2 cups / 66 grams Baby Spinach
- ¾ cup / 100 grams frozen Green Peas
- ⅓ cup / 84 grams blended Whole Milk Cottage Cheese (4%, or use 2% low-fat cottage cheese)
- ¼ cup / 25 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 2 teaspoons / 10 grams Unsalted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5.3 ounces / 150 grams uncooked dried Orzo Pasta (or other short-cut pasta of choice)
- 2 cups / 473 milliliters Chicken Broth (I used 2 teaspoons/12 grams Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base dissolved in 2 cups of hot water)
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano Flakes
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ – 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste (note 1*)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon ground Cayenne (optional), to taste (note 1*)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- To Serve: Reserved sliced fresh basil
Instructions
Prep:
- Season the chicken: Slice the chicken into thin bite-sized pieces and add to a medium bowl. Season with the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Mix to coat and set aside.
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients: Chop/slice the yellow onion, garlic, red chilies and basil as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Measure out the baby spinach and frozen green peas. Blend the cottage cheese (I use a handheld immersion blender directly in the carton since I use it for many recipes with cottage cheese.) Grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese using a box grater.
Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo:
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a medium deep edged skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and spread them out in the pan. Allow to sear for 1 minute, then flip the pieces and sear the other side for another minute or so. Sauté for 2 minutes until browned and just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil in a medium deep-edged sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and sauté for a minute until translucent. Then add the garlic and chilies and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Toast the orzo: Add the orzo pasta and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until lightly toasted.
- Stir in the seasonings: Add the kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne (if using). Mix well to combine until everything is evenly coated in the seasonings.
- Pour in the broth: Pour the chicken broth into the pan and mix to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is tender.
- Mix in the cooked chicken: Add the cooked chicken and briefly mix to combine.
- Add the spinach, peas and basil: Stir in the baby spinach, frozen green peas, and most of the fresh basil (reserve some for garnish) until the spinach has just wilted – about 1 minute.
- Add the lemon juice: Switch off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Stir in the cheeses: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the blended cottage cheese and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese until evenly combined and creamy. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of warm water or chicken broth and mix until it is of your desired consistency.
- To Serve: Divide evenly into bowls or on plates and garnish with the reserved sliced basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use more or less to customize this dish to your heat level preference. Omit completely for a milder dish or if dining with children. Same for the crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne.
- Be sure to check out the full article below for tips, variations, storage instructions, and more!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 688
- Sugar: 9.4g
- Sodium: 1847.2mg
- Fat: 19.8g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 72.8g
- Fiber: 6.8g
- Protein: 54.3g
- Cholesterol: 111.8mg
Love creamy food with bright lemon flavors? Try my Creamy Chicken Mushroom Rice Soup or Cream Sauce Seafood Pasta!
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Make it mild. Leave out the fresh red chilies, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne or use less.
- Add water or broth if needed. If the sauce is too thick for your liking after stirring in the cheeses, add a splash of warm water or chicken broth and mix until it is of your desired consistency.
- Use cream cheese or Greek yogurt. Instead of cottage cheese, either of these can add creaminess to the pasta dish. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes in smoothly without curdling, especially if using Greek yogurt.
- Use bone broth. It’ll add more protein.
- Garnish with lemon zest. Finishing with grated lemon zest will amplify the lemon flavors. I chose not too as the lemon juice is enough citrus flavors for my taste but go for it if you want to add another extra layer of zingy flavors!
- Use a different protein. Shrimp/prawns would taste delicious in the creamy lemon sauce!
- Switch up the veggies. Fresh green beans, baby kale, frozen edamame, asparagus, broccoli, etc.
- Use rotisserie chicken or previously cooked chicken. To save cooking time, use diced or pulled rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or previously cooked homemade shredded chicken. It’ll make it an even quicker weeknight meal. Stir it in to heat through when you would add the cooked chicken breast pieces back into the pan.
- Make it for meal prep. Double the ingredients to make four servings and store in airtight sealed containers (I like using these meal prep containers) in the fridge for 3-4 days. You’ll need about 3 to 3.5 cups (710ml-830ml) of chicken broth. You can always add more liquid if needed if you find the orzo absorbs it all before it’s tender. Be sure to use a large 5-quart sauté pan to cook if doubling the recipe.
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-free. Use gluten-free orzo.
- Dairy-free. Use a lactose-free cottage cheese and vegan parmesan.
- Vegetarian. Use a plant-based ground protein like Quorn or diced mushrooms (any kind but I highly recommend white champignons) instead of chicken. Also, use a plant-based Parmesan cheese without rennet, and veggie broth.
- Vegan: Same as for making it both dairy-free and vegetarian.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo – Step-by-Step
Cook the seasoned chicken breast pieces in extra virgin olive oil in medium medium deep-edged skillet or sauté pan (image 1). Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside. Heat the remaining oil and melt the unsalted butter in the same pan. Sauté the yellow onion until translucent, then add and sauté the garlic and chilies until fragrant (image 2).
Add the orzo pasta and sauté for a few minutes until lightly toasted (image 3). Then stir in all of the spices and seasonings until evenly combined (image 4). Pour in the chicken broth (image 5) and mix to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is tender.
Add the cooked chicken (image 6) and briefly mix to combine. Stir in the baby spinach, frozen green peas, and most of the fresh basil until the spinach has just wilted (image 7). Switch off the heat and add the lemon juice (image 8).
Remove the pan from the heat and add the the blended cottage cheese and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (image 9). Mix until evenly combined and the sauce is creamy. Garnish with the reserved basil and serve.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store any leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Transfer to freezer friendly containers and cool completely. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat for 2-3 minutes on high in the microwave. Garnish with fresh basil after reheating.
FAQs
If cooking over a relatively high temperature, there is a chance that adding lemon juice can cause a cottage cheese sauce to curdle. Adding lemon juice with the heat off and before adding the cottage cheese ensures that the bright flavor is prominent. The blended cottage cheese will not curdle in this recipe due to being added off heat and after already stirring in the lemon juice.
Most mainstream well-stocked supermarkets and grocery stores will have orzo pasta available in the pasta aisle. Tesco, Cole’s, Woolsworth, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s to name just a few places will have it available.
Stelline (small stars), small elbow macaroni, ditalini (small tubular shaped pasta), or even broken up spaghetti pieces can be substituted for orzo.
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Nice recipe. Thanks