Lemon Orzo Chicken Bake is a one-dish meal full of bright lemon flavor and created with standard pantry staples you are sure to have on hand.
Two of my most popular recipes on the blog are Lemon Orzo with Asparagus and Citrus Roasted Chicken. So, when my right brain started talking to my left brain, I decided to put together a recipe that combined BOTH, which resulted in this lemon orzo chicken bake. Really guys, there’s no method to my madness. Most of my recipes are created on a whim and with little measuring in mind. Thankfully I had a few pantry and fridge staples to make this dish come to life!
I was worried the orzo would be a little dry- but it was the exact opposite. Creamy, flavorful, small enough for the kids to scoop into their little mouths. If you’re looking to get more veggies in your diet, I’d suggest adding a can of chopped artichoke hearts, or perhaps a few handfuls of spinach or broccoli before baking. I served our lemon orzo chicken bake alongside some roasted carrots and a bagged Caesar salad mix from Kroger.
One dish. Pantry staples. And a cute toddler foot. There’s nothing more joyful than all of the above in my busy kitchen. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Jeff Mauro on the Food Network: Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo.
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
- 3 lemons, 2 zested and juiced, the other sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dill
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups orzo
- Preheat oven to 375. Season both sides of chicken breasts with lemon pepper seasoning. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients except for lemon slices. Pour mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Add chicken and top with lemon slices.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
- Top with fresh parsley or grated Parmesan cheese.
This dish sounds lovely. Do you happen to know about how much the breasts weighed? I have a 1.5 lb pkg of boneless/skinless breast fillets that I’d like to use if possible.