Busy nights call for easy dinners. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste! You can have both! What I think makes an easy, flavorful combination is a protein, a carb and some flavoring (be it citrus, cheese, herbs or spices). If you have these in a dish, it’ll be a winner!
My go-to flavor always tends to be lemon. I like it sweet. I like it savory. I like it so much, I’m growing my own lemon tree (and let me tell you how delicious they smell!)! Here are all the ways I’ve used lemon in different kinds of dishes.
Tonight’s dinner has more of a mediterranean feel with the lemon, artichokes and olive oil. It comes together in about 30 minutes and you can even have some leftovers for the next night. Perfect!
Most of this dish uses pantry and freezer staples, so hopefully with the addition of a fresh lemon and some cheese, you won’t even have to buy any more of the ingredients.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. Happy cooking!
Lemon Orzo Chicken with Artichoke Hearts
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, WHOLE
- 1 cup orzo
- 12-oz marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2.5 cups water or chicken stock
- grated cheese
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Directions
- Pat the chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Slice into large slices.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and orzo and cook for 2 minutes, just to lightly toast the orzo.
- Add the artichoke hearts, Italian seasoning, and water or stock to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, return the chicken to the skillet, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once all the liquid is absorbed, remove the garlic and gently push a knife down over it until it makes a paste. Add paste back into pan and mix (yes, you can mince it from the beginning, but I think this makes it taste better, and there is less of a chance the garlic will burn). Add the lemon zest and juice. Add a few handfuls (about 1/2 cup) of parmesan and stir to combine.
- Adjust with salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Enjoy!
Season Generously 