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  • Under 30 minutes
  • One pan

Paprika and lemon chicken orzo

A pot of chicken, orzo, and spinach garnished with lemon slices, set on a wooden table with a blue kitchen background.

By Tom · Updated

Jump to recipe
  • Serves 4
  • About 30 min
  • Easy

This one pot paprika lemon chicken orzo is about to become your go-to weeknight dinner. It's zesty, comforting, packed with flavour - and ready in just 30 minutes.

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The recipe

Paprika and lemon chicken orzo

This one pot paprika lemon chicken orzo is about to become your go-to weeknight dinner.

  • Serves 4
  • 15 min prep
  • 15 min cooking
  • Easy

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Scale
4 servings
Measurements

Ingredients

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    In a bowl, add the chicken (800 ml), oil, pinch of salt and black pepper, two cloves of crushed garlic (4 garlic) and the paprika (8 g). Mix until the chicken is fully coated. Set to one side.

  2. Step 2

    Next, dice the onion (1 onion) and finely grate or crush the two remaining garlic (4 garlic) cloves.

  3. Step 3

    Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and once hot place in the chicken (800 ml). Sear on both sides for two minutes or until golden. Remove from the pan onto a plate.

  4. Step 4

    In the same pan, turn the heat to low and add the diced onion followed by a pinch of salt. Gently cook the onions (1 onion) until soft for 4 to 5 minutes. Add in the garlic (4 garlic) and cook for one 1 more minute. Next, add in the orzo and stir.

  5. Step 5

    Pour in the chicken stock (800 ml) and bring to a simmer. Stir through the parmesan (35 g) and place the spinach (240 g) into the pan. Cover with a lid and allow the spinach to wilt down for 2 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Place the chicken (800 ml) back into the pan along with any resting juices and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Stir and place the lid back on and cook for 8 minutes or until the orzo is cooked to your liking. Season to taste.

  7. Step 7

    Remove from the heat and finish with the zest of one lemon. Garnish with lemon slices and extra parmesan (35 g) if you like.

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Questions people ask

How long does paprika and lemon chicken orzo take?

About 30 min from start to finish, of which 15 min is prep and 15 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How many does it serve, and can I change that?

As written it serves 4. Use the scale control on the recipe card to change it: every quantity in the ingredients and inside the method steps updates with it. Seasoning, and anything measured in pinches or splashes, is deliberately left alone.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.