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Chicken Thigh Orzo Recipes

One-Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Orzo Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 599
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 ½ lbs)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup dried orzo
  • 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 lemon
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 oz baby spinach (about 2 packed cups)
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and black pepper

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken dry and season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Sear skin side down in hot olive oil over medium-high for about 5 to 6 minutes until golden, flip and cook 2 minutes, then set aside.
  2. In the same pan, cook the onion over medium heat for 3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the orzo and toast for 1 minute.
  3. Pour in the broth and lemon zest, scrape up any browned bits, bring to a simmer, then nestle the chicken back in skin side up. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 12 to 15 minutes until orzo is tender and chicken reaches 165°F.
  4. Remove chicken and cover. Stir in heavy cream, spinach, and Parmesan until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Loosen with a splash of broth if needed.
  5. Return chicken to the pan, drizzle with lemon juice, and serve straight from the skillet with extra lemon wedges.

Notes

For the crispest skin, avoid moving the thighs for the full 5 to 6 minutes of the initial sear. If your chicken thighs vary widely in size, pull the smaller ones a minute or two early and let them rest under foil while the larger ones finish.