Lemon Dijon Chicken and Orzo
This Lemon Dijon Chicken and Orzo is a simple, easy weeknight meal using classic pantry staples that you probably already have on hand. It’s hearty and comforting on cold winter night, yet fresh and vibrant with the tangy lemon and spicy mustard. It can all come together in just one pan, making clean up a breeze during a busy week, or prep ahead and store in the fridge for a week of comforting dinners!
Lemon Dijon Chicken and Orzo ingredient notes:
Lemons: I love the tangy freshness lemons add to creamy dish like this. Using a bright citrus in both the chicken marinade and skillet brings out a vibrant flavor throughout the meal. Known for their antioxidants and vitamin C, lemons help give an immune boost, perfect for those cold winter months.
Gluten-free Orzo: Orzo is one of my favorite pastas to use when you want all the flavors to really get to know one another in the pan, but aren’t looking for the time commitment that comes with a risotto. Adding the orzo before your liquids allows the pasta to become fragrant and makes for easy clean up cooking all in the same pan.
Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard brings a spicy, yet tangy addition to the plate, acting as both the binder for the marinade and a flavor booster for the creamy sauce. When combined with the broth and coconut milk, the 3 create a smooth and balanced base for the orzo to soak up all the flavors in.
White Mushrooms: If your skeptical, white mushrooms are the perfect fungi to start your cooking journey with due to their mild flavoring and soft texture that absorbs the other aromas it’s cooked with. Their classic umami flavoring isn’t as strong as other more mature mushrooms, making them an excellent choice for an added source of protein and fiber.
Lemon Dijon Chicken and Orzo
4
servings35
minutes35
minutes
This Lemon Dijon Chicken and Orzo is a simple, easy weeknight meal using classic pantry staples that you probably already have on hand. It’s hearty and comforting on cold winter night, yet fresh and vibrant with the tangy lemon and spicy mustard. It can all come together in just one pan, making clean up a breeze during a busy week, or prep ahead and store in the fridge for a week of comforting dinners!
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Ingredients
- For the lemon dijon chicken:
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- For the orzo:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces white mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) gluten-free orzo
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (about half a well shaken 13.5-ounce can)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
freshly chopped parsley leaves, to garnish
Directions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large container or mixing bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Add the chicken thighs and mix to evenly coat. Cover (with a lid or wrap) and chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- After the chicken has marinated, heat a large, lidded skillet over medium heat (option to use a grill or cast iron grill pan for cooking the chicken, separately from the orzo). Add the chicken thighs to the pan and one layer and cook until brown and crisp on each side and fully cooked, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Make the orzo: In the same skillet (or a new skillet if grilling the chicken) heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring continuously until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the mushrooms and continue cooking until softened and beginning to brown on the outsides, about 5 minutes. Mix in the dry orzo, oregano, salt, and black pepper and continue cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the broth, coconut milk, dijon mustard, and 3/4 cup of water, lifting up any brown bits stuck to the pan as you stir. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook until the orzo is al dente, 12 to 16 minutes, stirring once or twice as it cooks to prevent sticking (cook time will vary depending on the brand of orzo, I use this brand.
- Once cooked, the mixture will still be very saucy and will absorb more liquid as it cools. Remove from heat, mix in the lemon juice, add the cooked chicken back on top (sliced if desired), and garnish with chopped parsley. To serve, evenly divide the orzo and chicken among four plates.
Notes
- Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat It: Microwave until warmed, about 2 minutes, or return to a skillet with a splash of broth or water over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Mushrooms: If you don’t like mushrooms, you can also opt for zucchini or eggplant.
- Note: If the orzo seems too liquidy at the end, cut the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to absorb the remaining liquid.
- Coconut Milk: You can also opt for half and half, heavy cream, cow’s milk, or unsweetened oat milk.
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Great flavors but the ratio of liquid to orzo didn’t work for me — came out like soup. Maybe because it was covered so enough couldn’t evaporate?
This recipe is perfect.
This was delicious!! I upped the orzo to 1 cup and left the orzo simmering uncovered for the last 4 minutes and added some Parmesan in as well. Will definitley make this one again- perfect for a cold winters night!! Yum!
Delicious flavor profile! Baked the chicken because I needed to cook it the night before but it turned out great reheating it on top of the veggies and orzo. Another great recipe!
Everyone loved it!
So delicious. I will be making this again. Everyone loved it.
Omitted the water and it was the perfect amount of liquid for me.
Hubs and I loved it. This recipe hit all the right flavor notes with lemon, shallots and Dijon. Orzo is always a winner. I used about a half cup more broth as it needed more moisture to cook the orz completely. High altitude cooking usually means a bit more liquids.
Yummy! I am lactose intolerant and also love the coconut milk dishes. As per another reviewers recommendation, I omitted the water in the sauce, and left the orzo to cook uncovered for maybe 5 additional minutes after. Did not add the other half of the lemon juice to the orzo, opted for a squeeze. I feel sometimes Jenn LOVES lemon and it comes out overpowering, but in this case I actually think the whole lemon would be fine. Liquid was evaporated enough, but it was still there to create a very saucy dish, but not like soup at all. Regardless, this dish was good and easy enough to make. Personally would use chicken breast next time, but that’s just my preference. Overall, an enjoyable dish and I would make it again, adding spinach would probably be delicious!
this looks great! Can you give the macros for 1 serving please!
Do you recommend substituting rice for the orzo to make it gluten free?
Haha Jillian D, I was coming on here to say I added *more* lemon to give it some additional acid contrast. So bring on the lemon, Jenn, I’m here for it! 🙂 I chopped up chicken tenders and air fried them. They seemed to really soak up the marinate and were fantastic.