Easy lemon chicken with creamy spinach orzo
Creamy spinach orzo topped with juicy lemon chicken breasts is a delicious and easy weeknight dinner recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts ((boneless and skinless) )
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves (thinly sliced )
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tsp Italian herbs / Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 300 g (10.5oz) orzo pasta
- 200 g (7oz) baby spinach (washed and dried )
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- ½ cup mascarpone
- ½ cup pasta cooking water ((reserved from the orzo))
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper (to taste )
- lemon (to taste )
- fresh basil (for serving)
Directions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo pasta. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- 2
Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain the orzo. Set aside.
- 3
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and set aside.
- 4
Place the chicken on a chopping board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. With a rolling pin or meat mallet, flatten the chicken out slightlyto approximately 1-2 cm (½in) thickness.
- 5
Place the chicken in a bowl or zip top bag and pour over the marinade. Allow to marinade for a few minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- 6
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat then add the chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- 7
In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add the baby spinach and garlic and allow to cook until the spinach has wilted.
- 8
Add the mascarpone and a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Stir until a smooth, creamy sauce develops.
- 9
Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- 10
Add the cooked orzo and add more of the pasta cooking water if necessary.
- 11
Top with the cooked chicken and fresh basil then serve.