Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Orzo (with Feta and Spinach)
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This lemon chicken orzo is a creamy one-pan dinner made with chicken breast, risoni, spinach, parmesan and Greek yogurt. It's designed to hold up for meal prep, but is quick enough to make as an easy 30-minute weeknight dinner.
Note - ingredients can be approximate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 600 g (1 ⅓ lb) chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, optional
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 350 g (1 ½ cups) risoni/orzo
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 lemon juice, approx. 3 tbsp
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 300 g (5 cups) spinach
- ¼ cup parmesan
Instructions
Preparing
- Dice the 600 g (1 ⅓ lb) chicken breast into even bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 tbsp cornflour, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp oregano, Salt and pepper until lightly coated.
- Finely dice the 1 brown onion and mince the 3 cloves garlic. Warm the 3 cups chicken stock in the microwave for 2 minutes if possible.
Cooking
- Heat a little oil in a large deep-sided frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the coated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mostly white with some light golden colour. The chicken will finish cooking with the orzo.
- Pour in the chicken stock and 1 lemon juice, then stir through the 350 g (1 ½ cups) risoni/orzo. Bring to a gentle bubble
- Once bubbling, lower the heat to low and cover and simmer for approximately 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Check that the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F before serving.Meal prep tip: Reduce the simmering time to around 10 minutes, leaving the orzo slightly firm with some extra liquid to absorb during storage.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the 1 cup greek yogurt and 300 g (5 cups) spinach. If serving immediately, return to very low heat for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts.if having for meal prep, no need to return to the heat, the spinach will soften and wilt during storage and reheating.
- Stir through the ¼ cup parmesan, then season with salt and pepper to taste. See note 1 about lemon flavour.
- Rest for 1-2 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Notes
Note 1 - Lemon
If after tasting it's not lemony enough, add in a second lemon juice. If it's too lemony, stir through extra Greek yogurt, parmesan or a splash of stock to mellow the lemon flavour.
Storing
Cool promptly and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 2-3 days, freezing any portions intended for later in the week.
Reheating
Add a splash of stock or water and microwave for 1½-2 minutes, stirring halfway and continuing until steaming hot throughout, as the orzo absorbs extra liquid during storage.
Freezing
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months, preferably thawing overnight in the fridge before reheating gently with extra liquid to prevent the orzo becoming mushy.
Nutrition
Calories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 46gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 493mgPotassium: 1207mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 5726IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 214mgIron: 4mg
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