Lemon Hen and Orzo – The Keep At Dwelling Chef

With recent, brilliant lemon and herbs, this one-pot meal is our favourite approach to efficiently pull off a home-cooked meal through the busy workweek. This simple recipe covers all your bases—prepared in simply 45 minutes and tremendous flavorful whereas nonetheless being a lighter choice that doesn’t go away 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 straightforward dish and pairs effectively with the lemon hen, holding issues attention-grabbing so that you don’t should fall again on boring, boiled pasta.

Ingredient Notes

• Hen Breasts: You too can use boneless thighs in case you choose darker meat. Simply make sure that to chop them into bite-size items and trim off any fats.
• Olive Oil: Substitute with any impartial cooking oil, reminiscent of vegetable or canola oil.
• Hen Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium choice lets you greatest management the flavour. It’s a terrific chef tip.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works effectively and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed at all times 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 bundle for the most effective outcomes.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded or grated Parmesan at all times melts the most effective.

Hen Choices

Rotisserie Hen: If you happen to’re in a rush, rotisserie hen is a implausible time-saver. Since rotisserie chickens are often 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: Acquired leftover hen from a earlier meal? Whether or not it’s grilled, baked, or roasted, you may simply shred it and add it to your soup. This can be a nice approach to decrease waste and provides new life to leftovers.

Hen Thighs: If you happen to choose darkish meat, boneless hen thighs are a tasty different to hen 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 hen 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.

When so as to add in…

The Proper Pan

Dimension Issues: Go for a big, deep skillet (12 inches or greater). It provides the hen and orzo loads of room to prepare dinner evenly and retains every little thing 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 downside! A large, shallow Dutch oven or braiser works like a allure.