If you've been here long enough, you know that my one pan chicken lemon orzo was my first ever viral reel! You all went crazy over it and so for this easy dinner series, I wanted to recreate my viral dish into a one pot version!
My one pot creamy lemon chicken orzo combines tender chicken cubes, flavorful minced garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy sauce enriched with Boursin cheese. Spinach and fresh basil add a pop of color and freshness, while a squeeze of lemon brightens the dish. It's a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal that balances creamy richness with a lemony tang, perfect for a satisfying dinner.
If you love this dish and you're looking for a hands off version of this dish, you will love my one pan chicken lemon orzo which is what this recipe was inspired by!
You will also love my one pan chicken feta orzo, which is a greek-inspired version of this dish, as well as my one pan chicken and zucchini orzo. Finally, you will absolutely love my tortellini bake with boursin and tomato as this is the dish that has had over 29 million views in the last several months!
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Ingredients
- Avocado oil: A healthy oil with a mild flavor, perfect for cooking at high temperatures.
- Chicken breast, diced: Tender pieces of chicken breast, diced into bite-sized cubes which serves as the lean protein for this dish.
- Salt: Enhances flavors and brings out the natural taste of ingredients.
- Black Pepper: Adds a touch of mild heat and enhances the overall seasoning.
- Onion powder: Provides a savory onion flavor without the addition of fresh onions.
- Smoked paprika: Adds a subtle smoky flavor and deep red color to dishes.
- Italian seasoning: A blend of herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme, adding a Mediterranean flair.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves, Minced: Intensely aromatic cloves of garlic, minced to release their robust flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Tomatoes that have been dried to intensify their sweetness and flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed juice from lemons, adding a tangy and bright citrus flavor.
- Lemon Zest (optional): Grated outer peel of lemons, offering a concentrated citrus aroma and flavor. You can use this optionally to really intensify the lemony flavor of the dish!
- Dry Orzo: Small pasta resembling rice grains, perfect for absorbing flavors in one-pot dishes.
- Chicken bone broth: Rich broth made from simmering chicken bones, adding depth and richness to soups and stews. The bone broth also offers additional nutrients and protein to the dish but it can be more expensive so feel free to use regular chicken broth instead or use 2 cups of chicken bone broth and 1 cup of water instead.
- Boursin cheese: Creamy and tangy cheese with herbs and garlic, adding richness to dishes. I used the garlic and fine herb variation of this cheese.
- Fresh Spinach: Tender green leaves of spinach, adding color and nutrients to the dish.
- Fresh Basil, Chopped (to garnish): Fragrant leaves of basil, chopped finely for a burst of herbal freshness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Start by adding avocado oil or high quality olive oil into a 6 & ¾ quart dutch oven on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add in your diced chicken breast and your seasonings. Mix until your seasonings are well distributed on the chicken and then let cook for about 2 minutes on each side until the chicken begins to slightly brown.
- Next, lower your heat to medium-low and then add in your minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sautee for 30 seconds to a minute or until your garlic is fragrant. Next add in your lemon juice and lemon zest, if using, followed by your dried orzo and chicken bone broth. Give the mixture a stir and make sure that the orzo is submerged.
- Increase your heat back up to medium and then wait for your chicken bone broth to begin to bubble, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of your pan. Once the broth begins to bubble, lower your heat again and cover for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is gone.
- Next, add in your boursin cheese and then give your orzo a stir until the boursin is melted in and combined.
5. Then add in your fresh spinach. Cover the pot for about 1 minute to allow the fresh spinach to wilt before mixing it in (this will make it easier to stir in). Garnish with fresh basil and serve!
Hint: Make sure to stir occasionally as recommended to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
Substitutions
- Dairy-Free - Boursin has a dairy-free option that you are welcome to use to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Vegetarian- Skip the chicken and use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Vegan- Skip chicken, use vegetable broth and substitute for the dairy-free boursin to make this recipe vegan.
- Gluten-free- try using rice instead of orzo to make this recipe gluten-free (I have personally not tried this therefore can not say with certainty this will work) You can also use a gluten-free orzo.
- Fresh spinach- you can substitute for frozen spinach.
Variations
- Spicy - add red chili flakes to make this recipe spicy.
- Kid friendly - this recipe is kid friendly on it's own!
- Chicken- Substitute chicken for diced tofu as a plant based alternative protein source.
You will love the greek inspired version of this dish made with feta, my one pan chicken feta orzo.
Equipment
All you need to make this one pot creamy lemon chicken orzo is:
- A Medium (6-7 quart) Dutch Oven: Here is a cheap dutch oven if you are in the market for one. I have the Le Creuset Enamled pan as well as the Caraway dutch oven which I also love!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you choose to purchase through qualifying links.
Storage
You can store this one pot creamy lemon chicken orzo in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Top tip
Make sure not to overcook your orzo and leave enough liquid before adding in your orzo and spinach for best results!
FAQ
Yes, check out my one pan chicken lemon orzo for a more hands off approach
Dinner
Looking for other easy dinner recipes like this? Try these:
Pasta
These are my favorite pasta dishes which you will love:
Jump to: Recipe
One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo
Equipment
- 1 6 & ¾ quart Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Avocado oil
- 1 Pound Chicken breast diced
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ Teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3-4 Fresh Garlic Cloves Minced
- ½-1 Cup Sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 Lemon Zested (Optional)
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- 1.5 Cups Dry Orzo
- 3 Cups Chicken bone broth or chicken broth
- 1 Boursin cheese Garlic and Fine Herb
- 8 Oz Fresh Spinach
- ½ Cup Fresh Basil Chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
- Start by adding avocado oil or high quality olive oil into a 6 & ¾ quart dutch oven on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add in your diced chicken breast and your seasonings. Mix until your seasonings are well distributed on the chicken and then let cook for about 2 minutes on each side until the chicken begins to slightly brown.
- Next, lower your heat to medium-low and then add in your minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sautee for 30 seconds to a minute or until your garlic is fragrant. Next add in your lemon juice and lemon zest, if using, followed by your dried orzo and chicken bone broth. Give the mixture a stir and make sure that the orzo is submerged.
- Increase your heat back up to medium and then wait for your chicken bone broth to begin to bubble, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of your pan. Once the broth begins to bubble, lower your heat again and cover for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is gone.
- Next, add in your boursin cheese and then give your orzo a stir until the boursin is melted in and combined
- Then add in your fresh spinach. Cover the pot for about 1 minute to allow the fresh spinach to wilt before mixing it in (this will make it easier to stir in). Garnish with fresh basil and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Julie says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! We will definitely make this again. For the sun-dried tomatoes, is it 1/2 a jar? That’s what I did and it turned out great. I also accidentally bought the dairy-free Boursin - still super yummy if anyone is curious!
christina.klapper says
Yay!!! So glad you loved it Julie! I used dry sun-dried tomatoes bc it’s what I had on hand but 1/2 a jar sounds perfect to me (measure with your heart! lol)
Also yay! Glad to know the dairy-free is good! I’ve never had it but it’s a great sub for those who need it!!
Cheri says
Delicious! My grocery store was out of Boursin so I subbed with feta crumbles and a big scoop of plain Greek yogurt. Will make again.
christina.klapper says
Awe I am so glad you loved it Cheri!!!!
Wendy Gerhardy says
Your calorie count is not correct. Much higher than listed. 637 calories for .25 portion of recipe
christina.klapper says
Hi Wendy,
You are correct in that the calorie count was not accurate, the recipe card uses AI to gather nutrition information and while I usually double check this before publishing, it appears that I did miss this one! The numbers I got were still about 100 calories lower than yours but I have updated the recipe card to accurately reflect the nutrition information. I am so sorry about that!
M says
Can I substitute the sun dries tomatoes for something else? Or not use them? I’m not a huge fan of them
christina.klapper says
You can do baby tomatoes or skip all together!
Shaina Jones says
This recipe has become a staple in my house!! I’ve made it for friends and family and always get asked for the recipe!!