Lemon Rooster and Orzo – The Keep At Dwelling Chef

With recent, brilliant lemon and herbs, this one-pot meal is our favourite method to efficiently pull off a home-cooked meal in the course of the busy workweek. This straightforward recipe covers your whole bases—prepared in simply 45 minutes and tremendous flavorful whereas nonetheless being a lighter possibility that doesn’t go away you feeling weighed down.

Love Orzo previous as a lot as we do? Attempt our straightforward and scrumptious One Pot Italian Chicken Orzo.

Orzo pasta elevates this straightforward dish and pairs nicely with the lemon rooster, retaining issues fascinating so that you don’t must fall again on boring, boiled pasta. Once you want a fast and straightforward dinner with minimal cleanup, this Lemon Rooster and Orzo is the proper resolution.

Ingredient Notes

• Rooster Breasts: You may also use boneless thighs in case you favor darker meat. Simply make sure that to chop them into bite-size items and trim off any fats.
• Olive Oil: Substitute with any impartial cooking oil, comparable to vegetable or canola oil.
• Rooster Broth: Utilizing a low-sodium possibility lets you greatest management the flavour. It’s a terrific chef tip.
• Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works nicely and retains prep to a minimal, however freshly squeezed all the time has the perfect taste.
• Orzo: This short-cut pasta resembles rice and is discovered within the pasta aisle in a field or plastic container. Verify the cooking time in your package deal for the perfect outcomes.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly shredded or grated Parmesan all the time melts the perfect.

Rooster Choices

Rotisserie Rooster: If you happen to’re in a rush, rotisserie rooster is a implausible time-saver. Since rotisserie chickens are often a loss chief for grocery shops, it’s a money-saver too! Merely shred about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of pre-cooked rooster and stir it in throughout the previous couple of minutes of cooking.

Leftover Rooster: Received leftover rooster from a earlier meal? Whether or not it’s grilled, baked, or roasted, you possibly can simply shred it and add it to your soup. It is a nice method to decrease waste and provides new life to leftovers.

Rooster Thighs: If you happen to favor darkish meat, boneless rooster thighs are a tasty various to rooster breasts. They add a richer taste to the soup and have a tendency to remain extra tender and juicy. Sear and cook dinner them simply as you’ll rooster breasts.

Add Veggies

Simply add some colour to this one-pot dish by incorporating recent greens. Asparagus, broccoli, and inexperienced beans are all nice choices that pair nicely with lemon, basil, and parmesan.

For asparagus, add chopped asparagus over the last 3–4 minutes of cooking so it stays tender-crisp.

For broccoli, stir in small broccoli florets about 5 minutes earlier than the orzo is completed to make sure they soften with out changing into mushy.

For inexperienced beans, lower into bite-sized items and add them over the last 5 minutes of cooking for the perfect texture.

If utilizing softer veggies like spinach or cherry tomatoes, stir them in after turning off the warmth and allow them to wilt from the residual heat.

The Proper Pan

Dimension Issues: Go for a big, deep skillet (12 inches or larger). It provides the rooster and orzo loads of room to cook dinner evenly and retains every thing from spilling out whenever you stir.

Lid Required: You’ll want a lid to cowl the pan whereas the orzo cooks. In case your skillet doesn’t have one, no worries—simply cowl it tightly with foil.

No skillet? No downside! A large, shallow Dutch oven or braiser works like a appeal.