High Protein Chicken Orzo (Printable)
Tender chicken and orzo with vegetables in a light herbed sauce, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Pasta
07 - 1 cup dry orzo pasta
→ Dairy
08 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
09 - 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 tbsp olive oil
11 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Spices & Herbs
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Add to skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked through. Remove and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add orzo to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the grains in oil and aromatics.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, oregano, and thyme. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
05 - Return chicken pieces to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
06 - Add cherry tomatoes and spinach. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes until orzo is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
07 - Stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything happens in one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
- The orzo becomes incredibly creamy without any heavy cream
- You get almost 40 grams of protein per serving without even trying
02 -
- The orzo continues absorbing liquid after you remove it from heat so do not let it get too dry
- Cutting the chicken into similar sized pieces ensures everything finishes cooking at the same time
03 -
- Use a microplane to grate the Parmesan so it melts into the dish instantly
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold from the fridge