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! 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 sun-dried 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)
What are some other risoni (orzo) recipes?
If you love risoni (orzo), I think you’ll enjoy: Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Risoni (Orzo)Creamy Tomato Chicken Risoni (Orzo)Marry Me Chicken Risoni (Orzo)Risoni Mozzarella MeatballsMediterranean Risoni (Orzo) 5 from 28 reviews Note 2 – If you feel the risoni is too stiff (it’s not saucy and is clumping together more than you would like), simply add 1–2 tablespoons, at a time, of boiling water from the kettle, stirring the sauce rapidly. This will loosen the mixture.
Make ahead
Marinate the chicken in the spices, then refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Not suitable to freeze.
Recipe source
Source – Recipe inspired by One Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken and Orzo from Half Baked Harvest which you can view here.
