Lemon Hen and Orzo – The Keep At Dwelling Chef

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

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

Orzo pasta elevates this easy dish and pairs properly with the lemon hen, maintaining issues attention-grabbing so that you don’t must fall again on boring, boiled pasta.

Ingredient Notes

• Hen Breasts: You can too use boneless thighs for those who favor darker meat. Simply make certain to chop them into bite-size items and trim off any fats.
• Olive Oil: Substitute with any impartial cooking oil, equivalent to vegetable or canola oil.
• Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium choice permits you to greatest management the flavour. It’s an awesome chef tip.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works properly and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed all the time has the most effective taste.
• Orzo: This short-cut pasta resembles rice and is discovered within the pasta aisle in a field or plastic container. Verify the cooking time in your package deal for the most effective outcomes.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded or grated Parmesan all the time melts the most effective.

Hen Choices

Rotisserie Hen: In the event you’re in a rush, rotisserie hen is a unbelievable 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 hen and stir it in throughout the previous few minutes of cooking.

Leftover Hen: Received leftover hen from a earlier meal? Whether or not it’s grilled, baked, or roasted, you’ll be able to simply shred it and add it to your soup. It is a nice approach to reduce waste and provides new life to leftovers.

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

Add Veggies

Simply add some colour to this one-pot dish by incorporating contemporary greens.

Asparagus, broccoli, and inexperienced beans are all nice choices that pair properly with lemon, basil, and parmesan.

When so as to add in…

The Proper Pan

Measurement Issues: Go for a big, deep skillet (12 inches or greater). It offers the hen and orzo loads of room to cook dinner evenly and retains every part from spilling out while 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 allure.