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Who doesn’t love a quick meal after a long hard day? And to make it even better, what if I told you there will be no pile of dishes to clean either? That’s right, this creamy parmesan spinach orzo with chicken meatballs is a one-pot, 30-minute meal designed for any weeknight. Full of salty parmesan, bright lemon, and tons of fresh herbs, this dish is surprisingly simple but is sure to wow everyone at the dinner table.
Chicken Meatballs
The start to this amazing meal are simple, yet flavor packed chicken meatballs. I don’t use ground chicken often, but this recipe reminds me why I should. They are guilt free and a perfectly easy substitution if you are looking to trim down the calories in a dish. And the best part is, they are so simple! In a large mixing bowl, combine:
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 3 tbsp mined parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ½ tbsp salt
- ⅓ tbsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Next, heat a large cast iron skilled with a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat. While the pan is coming to temp, use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon to form golf ball sized meatballs. This recipe should yield 14-18 meatballs depending on the size.
Add the meatballs to the pan, being sure not to overcrowd them or they will steam. Sear the meatballs for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside. *They will not be fully cooked at this point! Once they are seared, remove them from the pan and set aside for later.
Creamy Parmesan Spinach Orzo
Now we move on to the orzo. In the same pan the meatballs were cooked in, add in about 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 cup of diced white onions, and 2 minced cloves of garlic. Sauté them for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. To the pan, add in 1 cup of dried orzo pasta and toast for 1 minute or until the pasta is fully coated with oil.
Pour in 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth and bring the dish to a simmer. After about 5 minutes, when the orzo is about halfway cooked, fold in 2 cups of torn baby spinach. Don’t worry, the spinach will look like it is too much for the pan, but the instant it hits the heat of the simmering pasta, it will wilt. At this point, nestle the chicken meatballs back into the pan to allow them to finish cooking.
Let the pasta simmer for 5-7 more minutes or until the pasta is just about cooked through and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream, and add in the zest and juice or one lemon, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.
Continue to cook the pasta for another 3-4 minutes until the liquid is once again mostly absorbed. You are looking for the texture of a creamy risotto here. Once the pasta is al dente and the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat. Top pan with extra grated parmesan and roughly chopped parsley and serve immediately. This creamy parmesan spinach orzo with chicken meatballs is the perfect weeknight dish to comfort you after a long day. And you will be even happier that there is almost no clean up!
Want More One-Pan Recipes?
- Southwest Sweet Potato Hash
- Shrimp Scampi With Orzo
- Sheet Pan Cajun Sausage And Vegetables
- Loaded Brussel Sprouts With Chili Honey
- Chicken Thighs With Lemon Orzo Pasta
Creamy Parmesan Spinach Orzo with Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 3 tbsp mined parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ½ tbsp salt
- ⅓ tbsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Creamy Parmesan Spinach Orzo
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup white onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dried orzo pasta
- 3 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
- 2 cups torn baby spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ½ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Chicken Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the chicken meatball ingredients. Mix by hand to combine.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, form golf ball sized meatballs. This recipe should yield 14-18 meatballs depending on the size
- In a large cast iron skillet with a touch of olive oil over medium high heat, sear the meatballs for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside. *They will not be fully cooked at this point.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
Creamy Parmesan Spinach Orzo
- In the same pan the meatballs were cooked in, add in olive oil, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add in orzo pasta and toast for 1 minute or until fully coated with oil.
- Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. After about 5 minutes, when the orzo is not yet fully cooked, fold in torn spinach, and nestle the chicken meatballs back into the pan
- Let the pasta simmer for 5-7 more minutes or until the pasta is just about cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Pour in heavy cream, and add in lemon zest and juice, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste
- Cook another 3-4 minutes until the liquid is once again mostly absorbed.
- Top pan with extra grated parmesan and roughly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
