This herb-crusted chicken with creamy lemon orzo is honestly the perfect winter meal. Comforting, warm, and of course delicious. Air-fried crispy chicken served with silky smooth and zesty orzo… this is one of those dinners that is so easy but everyone will love. As I type this I am currently rugged up in a sweater and uggs, and all I can think about is how badly I want to tuck into a giant bowl of this to warm me up.
Let me talk about the wonderful orzo for a second. In Australia we call it risoni for some reason, I don’t know why we always have to be different! Orzo is a lot like risotto except it’s actually pasta. What makes it so great is it cooks all in one pan – you get a super creamy, lush pot of pasta in about 10 minutes. Perfect for a mid-week meal that doesn’t require too much effort, and it also makes great leftovers.
The great thing about this dish is that the creamy orzo is cooked all in one pot while the chicken cooks in the air fryer. So simple! If you wanted to add more veggies you totally could. Green beans, broccolini, mushrooms or asparagus would work well.
The process…
This chicken is super simple to make but it’s honestly amazing. Crispy on the outside, full of flavour and juicy on the inside. I like to slice the breasts in half so you have four pieces that are a similar thickness. The great thing about the air fryer is you can just set and forget. Begin with a simple dredging station. A plate of flour, a plate of egg and a plate of breadcrumbs with all the herbs and seasonings. Dip each chicken piece in the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs and lay flat in the air fryer. Cook at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, make sure you flip them half way. I had to cook mine two at a time.
The orzo comes together similarly to a risotto. Soften the onion first in the pan, then add the garlic and orzo and fry off until slightly golden. Deglaze with white wine and add the chicken stock, milk, zucchini and seasonings. Keep stirring so it doesn’t stick and cook until al dente. Turn off the heat and stir through the lemon juice and parmesan and you’re done! I find it really hard not to eat a million spoonful’s of this while it cooks… the smell is honestly incredible.
More easy delicious dinners:
- Creamy Chicken Mushroom and Bacon Pies
- 15 Minute Ramen Carbonara
- Lemon and Garlic Prawn Linguine with Parmesan Crumb
- One-pan Sun-dried Tomato Chicken
If you try this herb-crusted chicken with creamy lemon orzo, let me know in the comments!
HERB-CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH CREAMY LEMON ORZO
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes20
minutes30
minutesA quick, no-fuss weeknight dinner for the whole family.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsps thyme
2 tsps oregano
1/2 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup uncooked orzo
splash of white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 zucchini grated
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup parmesan grated
Directions
- On a large plate combine the breadcrumbs with garlic powder, thyme, oregano and salt and pepper. Slice the chicken breasts in half to make four flat fillets. Coat each one first in flour, then egg, then the bread crumbs mixture. Pop in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 180 degrees, flipping half way.
- While that’s frying, cook the onion in a pot on medium heat until translucent, then add the garlic and orzo and fry off for a minute. Deglaze the pan with white wine and pour in the chicken stock, milk, thyme, zucchini and salt and pepper.
- When the orzo still has a little bit of bite to it, turn off the heat and stir through the lemon juice and parmesan. Serve with the chicken sliced up on top and a wedge of lemon.
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