Tender ground chicken meatballs flavored with Parmesan cheese and lemon pair beautifully with creamy orzo and spinach in this Italian-inspired one-skillet meal. This easy meatballs with orzo dinner is bright, filling, comforting, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Tender, Juicy, Ground Chicken Meatballs!
This recipe works because of the method used to make the meatballs. See, lean ground chicken is a very healthy protein, but it has a tendency to be dry and crumbly when it’s cooked. Not in my kitchen!
The first thing I do to combat this is add a bit of oil to the chicken mixture, along with lots of seasonings like garlic, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese. I use avocado oil, but olive oil works well too.
Secondly, it’s important to combine the chicken meatball mixture very gently and only touch it enough to bring the ingredients together. Do this with your hands rather than with a spoon, and avoid mushing the meat up. Over-handling ground chicken meatballs will also cause them to dry out when cooking.
Ok, you have my best tips! I use these when making my chicken pesto meatballs, and Asian chicken meatballs too. Now, it’s time to put them to work in this hearty, simple, one-pan dinner recipe with creamy lemon orzo and the tastiest chicken meatballs ever.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground Chicken: Using lean ground chicken makes this a healthier, high-protein meal. The recipe will also work with ground turkey.
- Breadcrumbs: Any style of dried breadcrumbs will work. Sometimes I use panko breadcrumbs, and other times traditional breadcrumbs. Use what you have!
- Egg: Ground chicken meatballs need an egg as a binder to hold everything together.
- Onion and Garlic: These two aromatics give the meal a savory, cozy flavor. We’ll use both in the orzo and just some finely minced garlic in the meatballs.
- Lemon: Use both the zest and the juice of the lemon to give the orzo and meatballs a bright, fresh flavor. If your lemon is large enough, you’ll only need one. Use a microplane to remove all of the yellow zest, then juice the lemon.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan from a wedge will melt more evenly than pre-grated cheese, creating a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Orzo: I’m making this orzo and meatballs dish with regular dried orzo pasta, as I always have a few boxes in the cupboard. If you’d like to use whole wheat orzo, you can, but you’ll need to cook it for 2-4 extra minutes. You may also need to add a bit of extra stock.
- Heavy Cream: In the UK, we call this double cream, and it is the key to making the most delicious, creamy sauces. For a lighter version, try it with half and half, or skip the cream altogether. The butter and cheese in the orzo makes it a little bit creamy already.
- Baby Spinach: Add this to the orzo to make this a true, complete, one-dish dinner! The spinach will wilt into the hot pasta at the very end.
Tip!
Make Ahead Tip! Mix up the meatballs, and freeze them before cooking. This will save you time on busy weeknights. I usually thaw them slightly before browning them in the pan, and then they’ll finish cooking with the orzo during the simmering step.
Recipe Tips
- Avoid overmixing the meatball mixture. I mentioned this already, but it’s important! Only mix the meat enough to incorporate everything together, and then leave it alone.
- Use a cookie scoop to create meatballs that are all the same size. They look better this way, plus they will all cook at the same rate. You can also use a kitchen scale to divide the mixture evenly, or just eyeball it!
- The meatballs do not need to be fully cooked after searing. They’ll finish cooking along with the pasta. Check with a meat thermometer to be sure that the chicken meatballs reach at least 165°F/74°C in the center.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for extra flavor and a bit of heat.
- As the orzo is cooking, check to be sure that it isn’t absorbing the liquid too quickly. You may need to add a splash of warm water or broth and then stir until creamy.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo and sauce will thicken up a bit, but you can add a splash of water or broth before reheating.
What To Serve With Meatballs and Orzo
With the baby spinach added to the orzo, this one-pan meal already has all of the major food groups included, so there’s no real need to add any extra side dishes.
But, if you want something more, serve this with some crusty homemade bread, or a homemade Caesar salad. Both will complement the flavors here perfectly.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
One Pan Lemon Chicken Meatballs and Orzo
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden Spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound (450 g) lean ground chicken
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup (60 g) dried breadcrumbs
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) avocado oil
For the orzo
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) avocado oil plus more if needed
- ½ medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1½ cups (270 g) dried orzo
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream double cream in the UK
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or more to taste
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ cups (45 g) fresh baby spinach
For garnish
- Extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly cracked ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Mix gently just until combined.
- Scoop using a 1½ tablespoon scoop and roll into 20 meatballs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden.
- Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
- Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Add the diced onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the orzo and toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and return the meatballs to the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir once halfway through cooking to prevent the orzo from sticking. Cook until the orzo is tender and the meatballs reach 165°F 74°C. Remove from heat.
- Remove the meatballs and set aside.
- Stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, Parmesan, butter, lemon zest, and parsley. Stir until the sauce thickens and coats the orzo. If necessary, return to the stovetop over low heat to help melt the cheese.
- Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
- Return the meatballs to the pan and spoon the sauce over them.
- Garnish with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper before serving.
Notes:
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture. Mix just until combined to keep the meatballs tender.
- If the orzo absorbs too much liquid while cooking, add up to ¼ cup (60 ml) additional warm chicken stock and stir until creamy. Even water works.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the smoothest sauce.
- For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- If using whole wheat orzo, keep in mind that it takes a bit longer to cook (Check package instructions, usually by 2-4 minutes longer), and absorbs more liquid, so you might need to add more stock. Whole wheat orzo has a firmer texture and may require a splash of additional warm stock before adding the cream to keep the sauce creamy.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers will thicken in the refrigerator. Reheat gently with a splash of water or chicken stock.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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