One Pot Lemon Chicken and Orzo

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large shallots (diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 cup orzo pasta

1 bunch kale (stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces)

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.

Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme and rosemary until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Stir in chicken stock and Dijon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale, Parmesan, heavy cream, lemon juice and lemon zest until the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to the skillet.

Serve immediately.