One Pot Lemon Chicken & Orzo Pasta Recipe
Table of Contents
Chicken With Orzo Pasta Recipe
This lemon chicken orzo pasta recipe is an excellent choice for baby led weaning, as it combines vibrant flavours that will engage your little one's taste buds while remaining easy to grasp and eat making it a delicious meal.
The tender chicken pieces and soft orzo are perfect for tiny hands, promoting independence at mealtimes.
The light lemony sauce not only enhances the dish but also introduces a zesty element that makes it appealing for the whole family.
One-pot meals are nutritious, simple to prepare, and can be enjoyed by all ages, making it a fantastic addition to your family meals on busy weeknights or weekend meals. A popular recipe in our home.
Is Orzo a Pasta
Orzo is indeed a type of pasta, known for its distinctive rice-like shape. Traditionally made from wheat semolina, orzo cooks quickly and is often used in various dishes, including soups, salads, and of course pasta dishes.
Its versatility in the kitchen allows it to absorb flavours well, making it a popular choice for both savoury and sweet recipes.
Despite its appearance, orzo is classified as a pasta and is enjoyed in many cuisines around the world, particularly in Mediterranean cooking.
Ingredient information
Chicken - I have used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can use chicken thighs too. If you have a veggie baby you could add in veggies such as broccoli and green beans to replace the chicken.
Cornflour - This adds a little crispiness to the chicken and adds a little more flavour to the chicken as I have added in a few seasonings to the cornflour.
Lemon - I have used the lemon zest and the fresh lemon juice in this recipe to create a refreshing yummy tasting pasta recipe.
Oregano - You could leave this out if you did not have it and just use the mixed herbs or even Italian seasoning would work well too. You can use fresh herbs too such as fresh parsley or fresh basil.
Butter - I have used unsalted butter for this recipe but you could use olive oil instead if preferred.
Onion - I have used a red onion, but you can use a yellow onion or shallots.
Mixed herbs - A store cupboard staple, this is a great dried herb to have and great to use in many different recipes.
Garlic - I have used fresh garlic but you can use garlic granules or garlic powder or garlic puree.
Stock cube - I have used a zero salt chicken stock cube, but you can use a low salt option too. Homemade chicken broth you can use to in this recipe.
Double cream - Double cream or heavy cream adds the finishing touches to the recipe, so delicious and creamy.
Spinach - I have used frozen spinach as it is fresh chopped spinach ready to go. I often find that when I have fresh spinach if not used on the day it will go off. You can use fresh baby spinach for the recipe if you have it.
Orzo - A great ingredient to have for weaning, a fun way to serve pasta to baby and the family.
Serving suggestion
The lemon chicken orzo recipe would be great served with broccoli or even a few peas.
You can serve this lemon orzo chicken as a complete meal too as a weekend treat or mid week meal.
Other orzo recipes you may like: Orzotto, garlic and herb orzo or Chicken orzo pasta bake.
Storage instructions
The pasta sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container, or you could use a container with plastic wrap to cover the pasta.
If you wanted to freeze the pasta, you will need to store in an airtight container.
Make sure the pasta has cooled to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container to the freezer.
To defrost the pasta leave in the fridge overnight, and make sure it has fully defrosted.
To reheat the easy pasta recipe, transfer to a preheated oven on 180C or 350F and reheat on a medium-high heat.
Once the pasta has been defrosted and reheated you will not be able to re-freeze.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Large saucepan - So many pan sets out there but I particularly like to use pans with a non-stick surface for ease of cleaning and ones that are suitable for different types of hob surface.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Recipe | One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta Recipe
One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small bowl or on a plate mix together the cornflour, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano, lemon zest and black pepper.
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and coat in the cornflour mixture on each side.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Place all the chicken breasts into the saucepan. Cook for 8 minutes on each side. Transfer the cooked chicken breasts onto a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter in the same saucepan you have just cooked the chicken in and add the onion to the pan and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes or so, until soft.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for a few minutes.
- To the onions and garlic add the remaining teaspoon of oregano and the mixed herbs.
- Crumble the chicken stock cube into the onions with 800ml of hot water along with the orzo pasta and spinach.
- Cook the pasta and frozen spinach for 20 minutes until the pasta is really soft. If you need to add in more hot water you can if the pasta gets too sticky.
- Finally, cut up the cooked chicken into strips on a cutting board and add to the pasta along with the double cream. Garnish with lemon slices and parmesan cheese (a little for baby as has high salt - best to leave out until 12 months old)
- Leave the creamy orzo to cool slightly before serving to your baby.
Notes
If you wanted to make this one-pot lemon chicken recipe gluten free, you could use a gluten free pasta instead of the orzo pasta, or you can get gluten free orzo pasta.
Likewise if you wanted to make the creamy lemon sauce dairy free, use a dairy free butter and dairy free cream to make an equally great dish!
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