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.