This juicy lemon chicken with orzo is one of those one pan dinner wonders. The crispy seared chicken thighs cook with the orzo infusing every bite with goodness. This easy weeknight dinner is ready to become a staple in your home! We had this for dinner last night and I have the leftovers warming in the oven for lunch. It's that good!
What ingredients do I need for juicy lemon chicken with orzo?
- Chicken thighs- They are the perfect cut for this dish so you can get crispy skin and a juicy piece of chicken at the same time.
- Olive oil
- Seasoning- To give this chicken the perfect flavor, I used kosher salt and lemon pepper seasoning.
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Lemon zest
- Orzo- I love using this small pasta because it cooks perfectly under the chicken.
- Chicken broth
- Kalamata olives, pitted
- Castelvetrano olives, pitted
- Fresh parsley for garnish
How to make it:
- Start by patting the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Drizzle them with half of the olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-low. Place the chicken thighs skin side down into the pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip and cook an additional 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the thighs from the pan and place onto a plate. Add in the diced onion, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook them in the chicken juices for 4-5 minutes until the onions have softened.
- Add the orzo and chicken broth and stir well. Add the chicken back into the pan. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low.
- Add in the olives, then cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is cooked.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if using. Enjoy!
Storing and reheating:
Store the juicy lemon chicken with orzo in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a preheated oven and heat until warmed through.
More chicken recipes
One Pan Baked Chicken and Yellow Rice
Sara's easy weeknight chicken fajita tacos
Feel better chicken and rice soup
Juicy lemon chicken with orzo
This juicy lemon chicken with orzo is one of those one pan dinner wonders. This easy weeknight dinner is ready to become a staple!
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup kalamata olives
- ¼ cup Castelvetrano olives
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Start by patting the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Drizzle them with half of the olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-low. Place the chicken thighs skin side down into the pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip and cook an additional 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the thighs from the pan and place onto a plate. Add in the diced onion, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook them in the chicken juices for 4-5 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the orzo and chicken broth and stir well.
- Add the chicken back into the pan. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Add in the olives, then cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is cooked. Garnish with fresh parsley if using.
