One Pot Lemon Chicken and Orzo

 One Pot Lemon Chicken and Orzo

This is a great transition dish from summer to fall. The chicken is juicy and the lemon makes it feel light(er), while it’s all nestled in creamy, rich orzo. Plus hidden greens adds a nice, fresh touch! And you can beat a one pot meal 👌 I made it with chicken thighs but would like to try thinly sliced chicken breast next time and see how that turns out. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or thinly sliced chicken breast)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 large shallots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.
3. Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic, thyme and rosemary until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in chicken stock and Dijon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale, Parmesan, heavy cream, lemon juice and lemon zest until the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.

 

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

One of my favorite comfort food meals, this dish is juicy, rich and creamy, with the mustard adding a slight tang. It’s perfect! One tip: make sure to let the wine reduce by half. If you don’t the sauce turns out slightly runnier and doesn’t coat the chicken.  I like to serve it with cheddar mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Ingredients 

• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 3 whole Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 c. White Wine
• 1 Tbsp. (heaping) Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp. (heaping) Grainy Mustard
• 1/4 c. (to 1/2) Heavy Cream
• 1/4 c. (to 1/2) Chicken Broth
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions 

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you have eight smaller, thinner chicken cutlets. Salt and pepper both sides.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cutlets on both sides until nice and golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and keep on a plate. 

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and saute it for a minute, stirring to make sure it won't burn. Next pour in the wine. Then just let the wine bubble up and cook until it's reduced by half. 

Throw in the mustards and stir to combine, then pour in the cream. Stir in chicken broth, adding more if the sauce seems too thick. Taste sauce and adjust whatever you think it needs. Add chicken breasts back to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Allow sauce to cook for another few minutes, shaking the pan if needed to move things around. 

Serve chicken spooning the sauce over the top.