• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact Us

Tiffin And Tea logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact Us
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact Us
×
Home » Recipes

Published: Jan 15, 2021. Post Updated: Feb 10, 2025

Home » Recipes

Chicken Orzo

Sharing is caring!

47 shares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Chicken Orzo is a quick and easy recipe - 15 minutes is all you need! It is deliciously creamy and flavoured with bursts of Lemon and salty Parmesan.

Chicken Orzo on a blue platter with flowers scattered around sides

Chicken Orzo

This Chicken Orzo recipe always goes down a storm. It is a recipe idea that is adapted from Nigella for a Lemon Linguine where she combines egg yolks, parmesan, cream and lemon to create a sauce and this is then tossed with Linguine to create the quickest and most delicious meal ever. 

In this recipe, I use the same sauce with Orzo and add shredded roast Chicken to it as well as a sprinkling of Chives. 

Chicken and Orzo Ingredients

This recipe requires few ingredients or time but the pay off in flavour is huge. 

  • Leftover Roast Chicken: Shred or cut into small pieces.
  • Orzo: Cooks quickly and works really well in creamy recipes.
  • Egg Yolks: both thicken and emulsify the sauce, making it easier for it to adhere to the Orzo.
  • Butter: Adds richness.
  • Double Cream: Makes for a silky, comforting sauce.
  • Lemon: Juice and Zest are used to add a real zingy hit.
  • Parmesan cheese: For the best flavour, buy a block and grate it yourself.
  • Chives: I love the mild onion flavour they add.

How to make Chicken Orzo

This couldn't be simpler!

Beat Egg Yolks in a small bowl and add Parmesan, Double Cream, Lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine.

Egg Yolks, Lemon, Parmesan and Cream in a bowl being stirred

Sauce stirred together in bowl

Cook the Orzo according to the pack instructions, then drain.  Add back to pot. Stir in butter.

Orzo in Water ready to boil

Orzo mixed with butter in pot

Once fully coated, add the sauce. Season.

Sauce and Orzo in pot being stirred with spoon

Stir in the Chicken. 

Shredded Chicken added to Orzo Pot

Parmesan and Chives added to pot

Add some grated Parmesan and Chives and serve.

Tips for making Chicken Orzo

Only use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre grated Parmesan has a coating which is used to stop the cheese clumping together in the pack. It also however doesn't melt the same.

Recipe Variations

  • Add your favourite Veggies such as Corn, Mushrooms, Asparagus, Peppers.
  • Add greens such as Spinach, Kale or Chard.
  • Use your favourite Meats or Prawns instead.
  • Add Seasoning of your choice.

Can it be made in advance? 

It is best to eat this as soon as it is made but you can make it 3 days ahead and reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave.

Storage

This Chicken Orzo keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

How to reheat 

To reheat in the Microwave, reheat in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between. You may find that it is easier to heat with a splash of water or milk.

To reheat on the hob, add a splash of water or milk and reheat gently over a low heat for a few minutes.

Can it be frozen?

I would not recommend freezing this Orzo Chicken dish. 

More Pasta Recipes:

Mac and Cheese with Chicken

Marks and Spencer Copycat Spinach, Pesto and Pine Nut Pasta

Kawsay or Khow suey – Chicken and spaghetti in coconut milk

** If you make this recipe, please comment/rate/dm. We love to hear from you. Safira x

Chicken Orzo on a blue platter with flowers scattered around sides

Chicken Orzo

Safira
This Chicken Orzo is a quick and easy recipe - 15 minutes is all you need! It is deliciously creamy and flavoured with bursts of Lemon and salty Parmesan.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Sides
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6
Calories 750 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 50 g Parmesan Grated
  • 150 ml Double Cream
  • 1 Lemon Juice and Zest
  • 700 g Orzo
  • 2 tablespoon Butter
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ½ Roast Chicken Shredded
  • 2 tablespoon Parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon Chives Chopped Finely

Instructions
 

  • Beat Egg Yolks in a small bowl and add Parmesan, Double Cream, Lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine.
  • Cook the Orzo according to the pack instructions, then drain.  Add back to pot. Stir in butter.
  • Once fully coated, add the sauce. Season.
  • Stir in the Chicken.
  • Add some grated Parmesan and Chives and serve.

Notes

Tips for making Chicken Orzo

  • Only use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre grated Parmesan has a coating which is used to stop the cheese clumping together in the pack. It also however doesn't melt the same.

Recipe Variations

  • Add your favourite Veggies such as Corn, Mushrooms, Asparagus, Peppers.
  • Add greens such as Spinach, Kale or Chard.
  • Use your favourite Meats or Prawns instead.
  • Add Seasoning of your choice.

Can it be made in advance? 

It is best to eat this as soon as it is made but you can make it 3 days ahead and reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave.

Storage

This Chicken Orzo keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

How to reheat 

To reheat in the Microwave, reheat in bursts of 30 seconds, stirring in between. You may find that it is easier to heat with a splash of water or milk.
To reheat on the hob, add a splash of water or milk and reheat gently over a low heat for a few minutes.

Can it be frozen?

I would not recommend freezing this Orzo Chicken dish. 

Nutrition

Calories: 750kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 41gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 273mgPotassium: 501mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 703IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 181mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Chicken and Orzo, Lemon and Parmesan Orzo, Orzo, Orzo Pasta
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

More Recipes

  • Dubai Chocolate Brownies on bakigng paper
    Viral Dubai Pistachio Chocolate Brownies
  • Cold Milk Baklava with Milk in a plate
    Cold Milk Baklava (Soguk Baklava)
  • Cooked Lamb Curry with Potatoes in pot
    Aloo Gosht – Traditional Pakistani Lamb & Potato Curry
  • Yemeni Lahsa in pan
    Yemeni Lahsa – Creamy Cheesy Eggs

Reader Interactions

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Picture of site owner Safira

hey...I’m safira! I share accessible Global Recipes as well as Baking recipes for home cooks. One of my passions is to teach home cooks to become more confident in the kitchen and this comes with time and experience.

More about me →

Recipes

Footer

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Browse Recipes

  • Recipes

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Tiffin and Tea

47 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.