Lemon Thyme Cheesy Chicken and Orzo Bake with Broccoli

December 30, 2019

Calling all kids? Or Adults who channel kid energy. This dish is for ALL of us. 
 
Pan sear the chicken, cook the orzo in chicken bone broth, add broccoli, lemon and some Parmesan cheese AND ITS DINNER! 
 
Its easy and delicious. One pan meals are basically the next best thing.
 
I make this over and over again for my clients with kids and they ALWAYS say, that they end up eating most of it. HA! Its a crowd pleaser and I know you will enjoy it too.

Here are other kid friendly recipes.

Thai Basil & Ginger Chicken Fried Pot Stickers

Crispy Chicken Tacos with Cotija

Creamy Tuscan Chicken & Vegetable Soup

Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @whitesparrowfoodco or #whitesparrowfoodco I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe!

Lemon Thyme Cheesy Chicken & Orzo Bake with Broccoli

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Author: White Sparrow
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Kid and adult approved. One pan tender chicken and orzo paste with a simple parmesan sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2–4 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thinly in half to double the amount of breasts
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup orzo pasta (I bought mine at Wegman’s)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided (I love Bonafide Provisions Bone Broth)
1 cup water
1 garlic clove, minced (leave out if kids are picky)
2–3 cups chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk
1 lemon, sliced thinly with seeds removed
1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (cheddar works great too!)
scallions or parsley, chopped for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add the coconut oil and melt. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and thyme on both sides.
In a small pot, heat up 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup of water. Once it comes to a boil, add the orzo.
When the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan. Do not move or flip them until they are browned or the sides are very white. Flip the chicken breasts and turn to medium heat. Add the garlic and broccoli to the pan – cook for 1 minutes or until the garlic smells fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, coconut milk and the orzo and any liquid left in the pot to the chicken pan. Mix everything around so its all combine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Turn heat off and put the pan into the oven for 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the cheese and add the lemon slices to the top – return back to the oven and bake OR turn the broiler on for 1 minutes (watch it, so it doesn’t burn).
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving – the sauce will thicken up nicely. Remove the lemon slices and discard. Garnish with parsley or scallions.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 25
Category: chicken
Method: stove-top