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Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo

Plate with orzo with chicken pieces in a lemon cream sauce.
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5 from 1 review

Made with tender chicken, a lightened-up lemon cream sauce, orzo and green peas, this Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo is a delicious and satisfying meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken:

  • 300 grams / 10.6 ounces Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless – cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ + ⅛ TSP Kosher Salt
  • ¼ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper
  • ¼ TSP Garlic Powder
  • ¼ TSP Smoked Paprika (hot or sweet)
  • Cooking Oil Spray

Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo:

  • 15 grams / 2 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 50 grams / ¼ medium Yellow Onion – finely chopped
  • 15 grams / 2-3 fresh Red Chilies (optional, I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies, omit for milder dish – note 1*)
  • 100 grams / ≈ ¾ cup frozen Green Peas
  • 150 grams / 5.3 ounces uncooked dried Orzo (or other short-cut pasta of choice)
  • 10 grams / 2 TSP Light Butter (I used reduced fat Nuttelex)
  • 5ml / 1 TSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • ½ TSP Dried Oregano Flakes
  • ½ TSP Dried Thyme
  • ½ – 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste (note 2*)
  • ½ – 1 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste (note 2*)
  • 50 grams / 3 Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges (note 3)
  • 60ml / ¼ cup Low Fat Milk (or any type of plant-based or regular milk)
  • Pasta Cooking Water, as needed
  • 15ml / 1 TBSP freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • To Serve (optional): chopped Italian Basil Leaves

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop the garlic, yellow onion, and red chilies as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Measure out the frozen green peas.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo:

  1. Season and air fry the chicken: Spray the air fryer basket lightly with cooking oil spray. Install the basket into the air fryer and preheat for 3 minutes (or according to manufacturer’s instructions) at 190°C/375°F. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to a medium bowl. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika and mix to coat. Place the chicken pieces in an even layer in the basket. Air fry for 6-7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside. (Note: You can cook the chicken in a skillet that is lightly sprayed with oil for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through if you prefer or don’t have an air fryer.)
  2. Cook the orzo: While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot (or use the same large deep sauté pan you’ll use to cook the rest of the dish) of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo al-dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. (I like to run water from the sink on the pasta to halt the cooking process and prevent sticking but this is optional.)
  3. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the light butter and extra virgin olive oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, garlic and chilies and sauté for one minute until softened and fragrant.
  4. Add the orzo and seasonings: Add the cooked orzo, kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and ground cayenne. Mix well to combine until the pasta is evenly coated in the seasonings.
  5. Add the chicken and peas: Add the cooked chicken and green peas and mix to combine.
  6. Build the sauce: Reduce the heat to low and make a hole in the center of the pan by pushing everything else to the edges. Add the Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges, low fat milk and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water. Gently mix in the same spot until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. Then mix to combine the sauce with everything else. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little more of the reserved pasta water if needed and continue cooking until everything is coated in the sauce.
  7. Add the lemon juice: Stir in the lemon juice and switch off the heat.
  8. To Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with chopped basil if desired. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Notes

  1. Fresh Red Chilies. Use less or more to taste or omit them completely for a milder dish.
  2. Ground Cayenne and Crushed Red Pepper. Adjust quantity to taste based on your heat level preference. Omit for a milder dish.
  3. Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges. This is semi-soft type of cheese wedge that becomes smooth and creamy once melted. It is excellent for making lightened-up creamy pasta dishes without heavy cream. Substitute with light or regular cream cheese.
  4. Storing and reheating leftovers. Store in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, add as splash of water and microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.
  5. Make it for meal prep. Double the ingredients by clicking the ‘2x’ button at the top of the recipe card to make four servings. You’ll need to air fry the chicken in 2 batches and use a large enough deep skillet to cook the rest of the pasta dish. Divide evenly into meal prep containers and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, add a splash of water and microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. I recommend garnishing with the basil just before serving as the taste becomes a little bitter when reheating in the microwave.
  6. See the ‘Variations’ in the post above if you’d like to customize this creamy lemon chicken orzo pasta dish.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/creamy-lemon-chicken-orzo/