Lemon Hen and Orzo – The Keep At Dwelling Chef

With recent, vivid lemon and herbs, this one-pot meal is our favourite technique to efficiently pull off a home-cooked meal in the course of the busy workweek. This simple recipe covers your entire bases—prepared in simply 45 minutes and tremendous flavorful whereas nonetheless being a lighter possibility that doesn’t depart you feeling weighed down.

Love Orzo previous as a lot as we do? Attempt our simple and scrumptious One Pot Italian Chicken Orzo.

Orzo pasta elevates this easy dish and pairs effectively with the lemon rooster, protecting issues fascinating so that you don’t must fall again on boring, boiled pasta. If you want a fast and simple dinner with minimal cleanup, this Lemon Hen and Orzo is the right resolution.

Ingredient Notes

• Hen Breasts: You may also use boneless thighs in the event you want darker meat. Simply be sure to chop them into bite-size items and trim off any fats.
• Olive Oil: Substitute with any impartial cooking oil, comparable to vegetable or canola oil.
• Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility lets you finest management the flavour. It’s an important chef tip.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works effectively and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed all the time has the very best taste.
• Orzo: This short-cut pasta resembles rice and is discovered within the pasta aisle in a field or plastic container. Test the cooking time in your package deal for the very best outcomes.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded or grated Parmesan all the time melts the very best.

Hen Choices

Rotisserie Hen: When you’re in a rush, rotisserie rooster is a implausible time-saver. Since rotisserie chickens are normally a loss chief for grocery shops, it’s a money-saver too! Merely shred about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of pre-cooked rooster and stir it in throughout the previous couple of minutes of cooking.

Leftover Hen: Bought leftover rooster from a earlier meal? Whether or not it’s grilled, baked, or roasted, you possibly can simply shred it and add it to your soup. This can be a nice technique to decrease waste and provides new life to leftovers.

Hen Thighs: When you want darkish meat, boneless rooster thighs are a tasty various to rooster breasts. They add a richer taste to the soup and have a tendency to remain extra tender and juicy. Sear and prepare dinner them simply as you’d rooster breasts.

Add Veggies

Simply add some shade to this one-pot dish by incorporating recent greens. Asparagus, broccoli, and inexperienced beans are all nice choices that pair effectively with lemon, basil, and parmesan.

For asparagus, add chopped asparagus over the past 3–4 minutes of cooking so it stays tender-crisp.

For broccoli, stir in small broccoli florets about 5 minutes earlier than the orzo is finished to make sure they soften with out turning into mushy.

For inexperienced beans, minimize into bite-sized items and add them over the past 5 minutes of cooking for the very best texture.

If utilizing softer veggies like spinach or cherry tomatoes, stir them in after turning off the warmth and allow them to wilt from the residual heat.

The Proper Pan

Dimension Issues: Go for a big, deep skillet (12 inches or larger). It offers the rooster and orzo loads of room to prepare dinner evenly and retains the whole lot from spilling out whenever you stir.

Lid Required: You’ll want a lid to cowl the pan whereas the orzo cooks. In case your skillet doesn’t have one, no worries—simply cowl it tightly with foil.

No skillet? No drawback! A large, shallow Dutch oven or braiser works like a attraction.