Can I leave out the white wine?

You can! Just swap in an equal amount of chicken broth and you are all set.

How do I zest and juice a lemon?

Start with the zesting! There are all kinds of fancy lemon zesting tools out there, but I love my microplane zester - it does the job quickly and you can also use it for cheese. Simply drag the lemon over the zester and little chopped lemon peel pieces will come out the other side. As for juicing, you can get as fancy as having a citrus juicer that squishes the juice out and leaves the seeds, or you can simply squeeze that lemon juice into a prep bowl with your hands.

I can't find orzo! What should I use instead?

Orzo is usually in the pasta section of your supermarket, but if they don't carry it you can use any small pasta. Tiny bow-ties or even elbow macaroni will work just fine.

Can I substitute anything for the leeks?

Not a leek person? You can use six chopped scallions or one peeled and chopped sweet onion instead.

Have a question that I didn't cover?

Pop your question in the comments section below and I will get back to you pronto!

Lemon Chicken Orzo

Skillet Lemon Chicken Orzo

One skillet lemon chicken with orzo on a plate.

Print Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

This easy recipe for skillet lemon chicken orzo is not only scrumptious, it also makes clean-up a breeze!

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

4 chicken breast halves, pounded to ½ inch thickness
3 tablespoons butter
2 leeks, rinsed thoroughly and chopped
8 ounces orzo
1/3 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice and zest from ½ lemon
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a cast iron or similar large skillet and add the chicken breasts in a single layer. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side (you can check for doneness by using an instant read thermometer – it should read 160). Remove chicken and cover with foil.
Add the chopped leeks to the skillet along with a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir until the leek starts to get the teensiest bit of brown on it. Add the orzo and the wine and stir until the wine is almost absorbed.
Add the chicken broth and parsley and simmer until the orzo is tender, about 10 – 12 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and one more tablespoon of butter and whisk. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet and turn a few times until everything is nice and coated.
Divide chicken among plates, garnish with lemon zest, parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve it up!

Notes

- Boneless Chicken: We like chicken breasts, but boneless thighs are also fine.

- Leeks: Look in your produce section for this onion-type veggie.

- Orzo Pasta: You can find this rice shaped pasta in the pasta aisle. Other short pastas like elbows will also work.

- Chicken Broth: We prefer the boxed versions to the cans…it has a fresher taste.

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/skillet-lemon-chicken-orzo/