One Pot Caramelized Lemon Chicken Orzo
A recipe perfect for the transition from winter to spring, this caramelized lemon chicken orzo is bright, lemony, and ultra comforting. It’s made all in one pot making cleanup a breeze! It starts with an incredible chicken marinade I use often, with olive oil, lemon zest, dijon mustard, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. After searing the chicken, the lemon slices get added to caramelize in the drippings of the chicken and it’s just so incredible. The lemon is added in multiple stages, ensuring citrusy flavor throughout. You’re going to love this one!
Notes:
- If you slice the lemon thinly, and let it truly caramelize until it’s soft, you can actually eat it! If you cut the lemon too thick, or don’t caramelize them sufficiently, they will be bitter to eat. Depending on your preference, you can eat around them (they still impart a lot of flavor even if you don’t eat them), or cut them up with the chicken.
- I highly recommend using seedless lemons for the sliced lemons so you’re not fishing out seeds from the dish, but both will work.
- If there are a lot of browned bits at the bottom of the pan when you add the lemon slices, they may burn, so deglaze with a little broth or water as needed.
One Pot Caramelized Lemon Chicken Orzo
- Total Time: 70
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A recipe perfect for the transition from winter to spring, this caramelized lemon chicken orzo is bright, lemony, and ultra comforting!
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Lemon Chicken Orzo:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tsps dried oregano
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 lemon, sliced thinly into the rounds (use the ends for extra lemon juice for serving)
- Juice and zest from 2 lemons
- ½ tsp freshly cracked pepper
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 shallots, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Chopped fresh basil and red pepper flakes for topping
- Salt to taste
Instructions
For the One Pot Caramelized Lemon Chicken Orzo:
- To a bowl, add chicken thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil, dijon mustard, zest from 1 lemon, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Marinate for as long as you have time for (anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight).
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken thighs in an even layer and cook until golden brown on one side, about 6-7 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove and set aside. The chicken will continue to cook with the orzo.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add in your lemon slices. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and soft. If your pan gets too hot before the lemon slices are soft, deglaze with a little chicken broth or white wine to ensure the lemon slices don’t burn. Remove the lemon slices and set aside.
- Add the juice of 1 lemon to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Add the minced shallots and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
- Add the orzo and the zest of the remaining lemon to the pan. Toss well to coat with the shallot and garlic mixture, toasting for about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth to the pan, stirring to release any orzo stuck to the bottom. Season with salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir, then return the chicken thighs to the pan along with the lemon slices. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the orzo is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Once the orzo is ready, turn off the heat. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon into the pot, then stir in the fresh basil. Top with red pepper flakes if desired, serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you slice the lemon thinly, and let it truly caramelize until it’s soft, you can actually eat it! If you cut the lemon too thick, or don’t caramelize them sufficiently, they will be bitter to eat. Depending on your preference, you can eat around them (they still impart a lot of flavor even if you don’t eat them), or cut them up with the chicken.
I highly recommend using seedless lemons for the sliced lemons so you’re not fishing out seeds from the dish, but both will work.
If there are a lot of browned bits at the bottom of the pan when you add the lemon slices, they may burn, so deglaze with a little broth or water as needed.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 60
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
This meal was AMAZING! I also didn’t know how much of a low calorie meal it was too, feeling lucky to be able to taste this one!
So glad you enjoyed!