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One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Parmesan Orzo

A one-pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs with Parmesan Orzo recipe featuring crispy seared chicken, silky lemon-parmesan orzo, and bright charred lemon flavor. Easy, comforting, and done in under an hour.
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Ingredients

Chicken

  • Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • Olive oil for cooking
  • Creole Trinity & Herb seasoning
  • Magic Poultry Seasoning
  • Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  • Paprika
  • Cajun Seasoning
  • Garlic Powder

Orzo

  • 1 shallot diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup dried orzo
  • ~2 cups chicken broth more as needed
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Finish

  • 1 –2 lemons halved
  • Fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Season the Chicken

  • Generously season the chicken thighs on all sides with Creole Trinity & Herb, Magic Poultry Seasoning, lemon pepper, paprika, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder.

Sear the Chicken

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip and cook the other side until the chicken is almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Char the Lemons

  • Place lemon halves cut-side down in the same pan and let them char until caramelized and fragrant. Remove and set aside with the chicken.

Build the Orzo Base

  • In the same pan, add the diced shallot and sauté until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Deglaze

  • Pour in the white wine and let it simmer until reduced slightly, scraping up all the flavorful bits from the pan.

Cook the Orzo

  • Stir in the dried orzo and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  • (You can double the orzo and broth if you want a larger batch.)

Make It Creamy

  • Once the orzo is almost done, stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until creamy and smooth.

Finish the Dish

  • Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan. Squeeze the charred lemon juice over everything, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and let it warm through.

Serve

  • Serve straight from the skillet while hot and creamy.
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