When it comes to making dinners, usually I stick to the favorites in my home. Occasionally I like to try something new that I see someone else share and that is what I did with this Lemon Chicken Orzo.
I actually made it on Easter of this year and it was the perfect meal for the holiday. It wasn’t too heavy and the lemon flavor was refreshing and reminded me of spring. I have made it a few times since then and we enjoy it every time.
Utilizing Leftover Chicken
This recipe provides you a way to repurpose leftover chicken. If you have been following me for a while, you know that I love batch cooking. I’ll cook chicken once and make enough to use for several other meals. This is one meal that I could use chicken for that is totally different from others that I make. It keeps cooking simple because I only have to cook the major protein once but can use it in a variety of ways. The chicken that I use in this recipe could also be used in my homemade chicken pot pie.
This meal can also be made in one pot, which means easy clean up! Right now I am loving my pans from XTrema. They are pure ceramic with no added toxins or chemicals. They also have a 10 year warranty. I have them in a variety of styles and sizes and use them for all different types of recipes.
Storing Ingredients to Make Cooking Easier
This recipe calls for spinach and you can use fresh or frozen spinach. When I wash and store my spinach, it will stay fresh for three weeks. I have full directions for washing and storing 75 of the most popular produce items in my bestselling eBook series, I Bought It, Now What? If I don’t eat all of my spinach within the first few weeks, I put it in a freezer safe bag and freeze it. This allows me to avoid having any food waste and then I can grab it for recipes like this or for smoothies.
The chicken stock in the recipe is something else that I make myself at home. If you are looking for a good recipe for chicken stock, check out mine here. It is easy to do, will save you money, and when you make it yourself you know it is only high quality ingredients.
We had leftovers from this recipe and I froze them in Souper Cubes. These are so handy and they allow you to freeze items in serving size portions. When you’re ready to eat it again you can just pop them out of the molds and reheat it. This helps to ensure that you actually eat your leftovers and they don’t go to waste.
If you decide to try Lemon Chicken Orzo I hope that you enjoy it! Come share in the comments how you liked it and if there’s anything you’d change about your recipe.
Lemon Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
- Whole Onion
- 4-6 Cloves Garlic
- 2 TBS Butter
- 1 TBS Italian Seasoning
- 2 Cups Orzo
- 4 Cups Chicken Stock
- 2 Cups Heavy. Cream
- ⅓ Cup Lemon Juice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 3-4 Cups Shredded Chicken
- 1 Cup Shredded Parmesean
- 4 Cups Chopped Spinach
Instructions
- Select a soup pot with well fitted lid
- Melt butter in the pot and cook the chopped onions until translucent
- Add garlic, italian seasoning, salt and pepper
- Add orzo and toast until light brown (2 mins on med heat), stir orzo while cooking
- Add liquids to the pot and bring to a slow boil
- Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom
- Add shredded chicken, spinach, and parmesan cheese
- Cook for 3-5 minutes while covered
- Serve and enjoy!
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