This creamy orzo with chicken, garlic, and lemon is an easy weeknight meal that is elevated in flavor! Tender, thin-sliced chicken cooked right in the pan along with sauteed zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy Greek yogurt and lemon garlic sauce. The perfect easy dinner for busy weeknights!
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Healthy Comfort Food: A lightened-up chicken skillet with delicious savory flavors. It tastes like it's full of fat and calories. However, it's healthy and high-protein!
- Easy and Quick to Make: Make this easy weeknight dinner on the stovetop in just about 30 minutes.
- Great for Leftovers: You can eat it hot or cold. It works for a hot weeknight dinner or for a week of cold lunches (eat it like pasta salad!)
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Thin-sliced chicken breast: I use thin-sliced chicken breast for quick cooking. You can use other cuts of chicken, but they will take longer to cook.
- Olive oil: Avocado oil or butter also works to cook the chicken.
- Orzo: Dry orzo pasta is the perfect complement for this chicken pasta skillet. It is shaped like a long piece of rice.
- Garlic cloves: Minced garlic provides additional flavor to the veggies.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: These tomatoes have so much flavor to add to the skillet. Cherry or grape tomatoes can also be substituted if you can't find sundried tomatoes.
- Zucchini: Zucchini adds a level of freshness to this dish. It also helps to add fiber and make it more filling.
- Spinach: I like using fresh baby spinach for this recipe. Snap off the tails of the spinach leaves or roughly chop if desired.
- Chicken broth: Cooking the orzo in chicken stock amps up the flavor. You can also use chicken bouillon mixed with water.
- Seasonings: A mix of Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper seasons this creamy orzo with chicken perfectly!
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt takes the place of heavy cream to create a creamy texture.
- Lemon: Use the whole lemon! Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice give this dish the perfect amount of acidity.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a delicious and cheesy topping to finish the dish.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, or parsley add freshness and flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Creamy Orzo with Chicken
Step 1: Cook the Orzo, Prepare the Vegetables.
Boil water and cook the orzo according to the package directions, al dente preparation. Reserve at least one cup of pasta water. Once cooked, set the orzo aside. Wash the zucchini and dice it into small cubes. Drain the sundried tomatoes and chop them into small pieces.
Step 2: Heat the Oil, Season the Chicken.
In a large skillet, heat the one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel and then evenly apply the seasonings to both sides of the chicken.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Cook the thin-sliced chicken for about 2 minutes per side or until cooked through and temped to 160 F using a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a plate.
Step 4: Deglaze the Pan and Cook the Veggies.
Add a bit of the cooking liquid to the pan to deglaze it and scrape the bottom of the pan. Add the veggies and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring throughout.
Step 5: Make the Sauce
While the veggies are cooking, stir together the Greek yogurt lemon sauce. Slowly add the pasta water to thin the sauce and to avoid curdling.
Step 6: Combine the Skillet
Return the cooked chicken to the pan, adding the chicken juices to either the pan or the Greek yogurt sauce. Stir in the spinach. Turn off the heat and slowly combine the sauce, chicken and veggies, and cooked orzo. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, then serve.
Hint: Be sure to temper the sauce, meaning do not incorporate the Greek yogurt sauce directly into the hot skillet. Slowly pour the warm pasta water into the skillet after you take it off the heat. Also, add the Greek yogurt sauce very slowly to the skillet to avoid curdling.
Substitutions
- Protein swaps - use any of your favorite lean proteins like air-fried shrimp or chicken sausage (I like it in this chicken sausage pasta).
- Vegetarian - substitute chickpeas for chicken to make this creamy orzo vegetarian.
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or use Cajun seasoning (like in this Creamy Cajun pasta.)
- Greek - Use fresh dill, cherry tomatoes, a scoop of tzatziki, and Greek seasonings.
- Broccoli - In place of zucchini, try chopped broccoli.
Equipment
You will need a large skillet (I use an All-Clad Stainless Steel Skillet).
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing is not recommended.
Top Tip
Make this creamy orzo with chicken for lunch meal prep! This healthy chicken skillet tastes great as a cold pasta salad, just like my basil pesto orzo salad.
FAQs about Creamy Orzo
You can make this creamy chicken orzo skillet ahead of time. You may need to add some chicken broth for reheating. Reheat in the microwave in 60-second increments or eat it cold.
Another small pasta such as ditalini (like this wedding soup) or small shells works very well in this recipe.
Do not overcook the chicken. Utilize a meat thermometer to temp the chicken after it has cooked for 2 minutes per side and only cook it until it reaches 160 F.
Other Easy Chicken Recipes for Dinner
Looking for other recipes like this creamy orzo with chicken? Try these:
If you've made this recipe, would you please leave a star rating and comment below on the recipe card? If you want more simple + delicious eats, please subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for the latest updates.
Healthy and Easy Creamy Orzo with Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound thin sliced boneless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes drained and diced
- 1 cup zucchini diced
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 regular lemon zest and juice
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Parmesan cheese for serving
- fresh basil for serving
Instructions
Orzo
- Cook the orzo in the chicken broth according to the package directions, al dente preparation. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Once cooked, drain the orzo and set it aside.1 cup dry orzo, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Prepare the chicken by blotting excess moisture from it using a paper towel. Combine ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon paprika in a small bowl. Evenly season both sides of the chicken.1 pound thin sliced boneless chicken breast, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon paprika
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned chicken breast for 2 minutes per side or until it is cooked through and the internal temperature is 160 F. Remove to a side plate. While the chicken is cooking, dice the zucchini and sundried tomatoes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup zucchini, ½ cup sundried tomatoes
- Pour a small amount of chicken broth or cooking liquid into the pan to deglaze it. Add the sundried tomatoes and zucchini. Cook them for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and stir.½ cup sundried tomatoes, 1 cup zucchini, 3 cloves garlic
- While the veggies cook, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon zest and juice, pasta water, and remaining seasonings in a 2-cup glass measuring cup.¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 regular lemon, 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Stir in the spinach to wilt. Turn off the heat and slowly stir in the lemon Greek yogurt sauce. Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with the chicken juices. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil for serving.2 cups fresh spinach, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil
Notes
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