A delicious, creamy “cheat’s risotto” topped with lemony chicken.
Creamy pasta is my go-to comfort food at the best of times, but when it’s as easy as this recipe and made in one pan, it takes on a new level of amazing! This Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo) requires very little preparation, but is incredibly delicious to eat. It cooks quickly and easily in the one pan making it the perfect family dinner for busy weeknights when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen! I love this recipe so much that I included it in my new cookbook Simple Dinners Every Day.
Risoni, also called orzo, is an oval-shaped pasta that looks like grains of rice, which takes on a risotto-like texture and taste in this recipe. The dish is loaded with delicious lemon-garlic flavours and then finished with lashings of parmesan – of course!
I stir in some baby spinach in the last few minutes of cooking because it requires no chopping, but don’t feel limited. Vegetables like asparagus, broccoli or sliced green beans can be added directly to the pan just after the butter. Once prepared, the dish can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated ready for when you need it!
Make sure you check out my One Pot recipes for more ideas!
Can I customise the ingredients?
This recipe can be loaded with vegetables to suit your family’s tastes. You can use up to 2 cups of additional vegetables. Sliced asparagus, sliced green beans, sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini (courgette), finely chopped broccoli, shredded kale or finely chopped sundried tomatoes would all work well. Add the vegetables after step 3 in the recipe (once the chicken has been removed from the pan). Cook the vegetables for 3–5 minutes until softened (add more oil if required) before proceeding with the remainder of the recipe. Cut the vegetables into small pieces as it will make the overall texture of the dish even more enjoyable. Vegetables like frozen peas, which take less time to cook, can be added in the final 2 minutes of cooking.
How to perfectly cook one-pan pasta?
To make a one-pan pasta dish (where the pasta is cooked in the pan with the sauce), it’s important that you use a heavy-based piece of cookware, such as a heavy-based casserole dish (cast-iron) or a thick-based, deep frying pan. Thin cookware will not heat evenly and may leave you with too much or too little liquid. The liquid needs to be simmering the entire time (gently with small bubbles). If it isn’t, modify the heat by turning it up or down slightly to maintain that simmer.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead?
Yes! I often prefer to make Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo) with chicken thighs as I find them more juicy. Increase the chicken cooking time to 5–6 minutes on each side, as thighs can take a little longer to cook.
Watch how to make Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo)
If you enjoyed Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo), I think you’ll love:
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Creamy Tomato Chicken Risoni (Orzo) Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Risoni (Orzo) Recipe
Risoni Mozzarella Meatballs Recipe
Mediterranean Risoni (Orzo) Recipe
Creamy Lemon Chicken Risoni (Orzo)
“This is one of the most delicious, satisfying, comforting meals I’ve ever had! My husband and I both said this is now one of our top favorite dishes.” Share PrintIngredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 thinner steaks (see note 1 for using chicken thighs)
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 40 g (1½ oz) butter
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 200 g (1¼ cups) risoni (orzo)
- 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
- 250 ml (1 cup) thickened (whipping/heavy) cream
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 60 g (2 cups) baby spinach leaves
- 100 g (1 cup) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Lemon balm or freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, combine the chicken with the garlic, oregano, paprika, onion powder, olive oil, salt and pepper. Use clean hands to ensure the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.
- Heat a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat and cook the chicken for 4–5 minutes on each side or until just cooked through.
- Add the butter and scatter the lemon slices around the chicken in the last 2 minutes of cooking to caramelise (the juices will release in the pan and create a beautiful flavour). Set the chicken and caramelised lemon slices aside on a plate.
- To the same pan, add the risoni, chicken stock, cream, lemon juice and mustard. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium–low so that it is bubbling gently. Cook for 10–12 minutes, uncovered, stirring regularly.
- Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat. Stir the spinach leaves and parmesan through the risoni. Season with the pepper and salt to taste. Cover and allow to sit for 2–3 minutes (see note 2 below for tips).
- Serve the risoni topped with the cooked chicken (slice first if desired). Top with the caramelised lemon slices before serving and garnish with lemon balm or parsley (if using).
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
marisajane13 says:
Easy to make. Loved it.
danielleduyvestyn says:
❤️ Delicious ❤️
Simple, quick & delicious. Another winner for us.
renaechapman says:
My family loved this dish. My husband gave it 10 out of 10! Not too difficult either.
anirosebarry says:
This was a tasty recipe. If I were to make it again, I would probably use less salt. 2 tsps is a lot for me, especially when you have broth and parmesan that adds to the saltiness! The orzo took longer on a medium low heat as well. About 7 minutes longer but at the end I just upped the heat a bit. Wasn’t sure if the recipe called for 2 tbsp of butter divided or 4 as the instructions say to add the butter twice. I went with 2 and it turned out fine. Thank you for your recipes!
Nicole says:
Thank you so much for the fantastic feedback! I have modified the recipe so that it is “salt to taste” because you are absolutely right, it depends on the saltiness of the stock powder and parmesan cheese being used. And thank you for pointing out the butter – That has now been modified. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! Nic x