Lemon Basil Orzo With Chicken Recipes

LEMON-BASIL ORZOTTO

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until fragrant and translucent. Add the orzo and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until absorbed.
• Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring frequently. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and cover. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed and orzo is tender. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in peas, Parmesan, fresh basil, lemon zest, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

LEMON CHICKEN WITH ORZO

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, mix flour and garlic powder. Cut chicken into 1-1/2-in. pieces; pound each with a meat mallet to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Dip both sides of chicken in flour mixture to coat lightly; shake off excess., In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan; keep warm. Wipe skillet clean., In same pan, bring broth to a boil; stir in orzo. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 8-10 minutes or until tender. Stir in spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice, basil and remaining salt; remove from heat. Return chicken to pan. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.

LEMON BASIL ORZO WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a pot of generously salted water, cook orzo just until al dente; don't overcook. Drain and toss with about 2 TB olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep warm.
• While pasta is cooking: pat dry the moisture from chicken tenders with paper towels. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Sprinkle evenly on both sides of chicken pieces.
• In a large skillet (not non-stick) add 4 TB olive oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, cook chicken tenders just until no longer pink in center, about 2-3 min per side (depending on thickness of chicken.) Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.
• In same used skillet, add the butter over medium high heat. Once melted, add garlic and onion, stirring 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add wine; deglaze pan by scraping bits loose with your spatula while the liquid cooks. Reduce liquid by half, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice and turn off heat. Add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp each.)
• Place cooked orzo in a large serving bowl; toss with freshly grated parmesan and onion/garlic mixture. Toss in basil leaves. Serve with chicken and garnish as desired.

LEMON BASIL ORZO AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• To a very large pot, add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Tip - Add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil to the water to prevent orzo from sticking, Drain and return to pot; set aside.
• While orzo is cooking, to a separate large skillet add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onions, and cook for about 5 minutes; stir intermittently.
• Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly continuously.
• Add the beans, zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, season evenly with salt, pepper, cardamom, optional cayenne, stir, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium and allow vegetables to steam for about 5 minutes, or until as tender as desired.
• Transfer the beans and vegetables to the pot with the orzo, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, stir to combine, taste and check for seasoning balance. At this point I added 2 additional teaspoons salt, 1 additional teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. This is a very large pot of pasta and vegetables, don't be afraid to season it generously; the olive oil keeps everything from sticking, especially the leftovers.
• Optionally garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

LEMON ORZO CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Combine chicken, mozzarella cheese, spinach, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper with orzo pasta.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to let flavors mingle, 20 to 30 minutes.

LEMON CHICKEN ORZO

Steps:

• Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often (this infuses the orzo with more flavor and toasts it a little).
• Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. You will probably need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). It should gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked. See notes below for troubleshooting tips.
• Stir in the chicken.
• Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parmesan and spinach, and cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.

LEMON BASIL GREEK ORZO SALAD

Steps:

• To a large pot, add the orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot or very large bowl; set aside.
• While orzo is cooking, to a large skillet add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onions, and cook for about 3 minutes; stir intermittently.
• Add the zucchini, garbanzo beans, season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until zucchini is slightly softened; stir frequently to ensure even cooking.
• Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
• Transfer the onion and zucchini mixture to the large pot with the drained orzo.
• Add the spinach (looks like a lot but it will wilt) and stir to incorporate. Stir for about 2 minutes, or until it begins to wilt from the carryover heat.
• Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and stir well to incorporate.
• Add the feta and stir to combine. Tip - If you want the feta to remain more intact, don't add it until the orzo has cooled down a bit, or it will melt, which is totally fine, you just won't see the white crumbles.
• Taste, and as desired, add additional salt and pepper. I added an additional approximately 2 additional teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper because it's a very large quantity of food.
• If desired, drizzle in additional olive oil. I added another approximately 2 tablespoons for flavor and so that the orzo doesn't stick as it cools.
• Serve immediately. Recipe can be served warm, at room temp, or chilled.