Lemon Chicken Orzo Bake
Raw cubed chicken and dry orzo baked covered in lemony, garlicky broth, then finished with Parmesan and baby spinach. Serves 4.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium or no-sodium works
- 2 cups orzo pasta dry, uncooked
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1/3 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly shredded
- 1 cup baby spinach chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- In the casserole dish, combine the cubed chicken, chicken broth, dry orzo, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, lemon pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Make sure the orzo is submerged in the liquid.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake on the middle oven rack for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the orzo is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Stir in the Parmesan and chopped spinach until the spinach has slightly wilted. Serve warm.
Notes
The orzo goes in dry: keep all of it under the broth and seal the foil tightly. If it looks loose when the foil comes off, let it stand about 5 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days or freeze 3 to 4 months; reheat to 165°F.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 70.5gProtein: 59.2gFat: 11.8gSodium: 1587mgFiber: 3.6gSugar: 3.7g