Description
A delightful one-pan meal featuring tender chicken, vibrant broccoli, and creamy orzo pasta, bursting with fresh lemon and pepper flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups small broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Toss the chicken pieces with black pepper, half of the lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook for around 3 minutes until tender. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the orzo pasta to the skillet and stir for about a minute to slightly toast it.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the remaining salt. Return the chicken to the skillet, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let it simmer for 8 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet and add the broccoli florets. Cover again and let cook for another 3-4 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
- Fold in the butter, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and remaining lemon zest.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
For a creamier variant, stir in a splash of cream or cream cheese. Pair it with a side salad or bread for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: lemon chicken, broccoli orzo, one-pan meal, weeknight dinner, family recipe