Lemon Chicken Orzo

I got a new pantry a few years ago when I remodeled my kitchen.  I really appreciated the added space for food storage but my new pantry quickly became a perfectly functional example of organized chaos.🙃 Everything had a place, technically, but finding that place required the patience of a detective, the eyesight of an eagle and occasionally a small prayer.  So, I decided it was time for a pantry upgrade.

For years, my pantry staples lived in stainless steel food containers. They were sturdy, practical and about as visually exciting as a filing cabinet so I decided to trade my hardworking stainless steel containers for something a little more attractive: glass food storage jars with wooden lids.

The glass jars let me see exactly what is inside while the wooden lids add a little warmth and charm. Instead of looking like I'm running a commercial kitchen my pantry is finally beginning to resemble the Pinterest worthy space that I've been dreaming of.  

Flour and sugar

Pastas, whole grains and rice

15 jars of chocolate to many?? 😂

The final touch was a collection of neat white labels.  And let me tell you - nothing makes a person feel more accomplished than labeling something that is already perfectly obvious.😂
Flour? Labeled.
Sugar? Labeled.
Rice? Labeled.
Orzo? Labeled, because apparently I can no longer trust myself to recognize tiny pasta shapes.

There's something deeply satisfying about a pantry where every jar has a designated place and every ingredient has a name. The labels bring a sense of order without making the space feel fussy. They’re simple, clean, and just polished enough to make me believe that I have my life together.

Once everything was in its proper container, my pantry felt less like a storage closet and more like an invitation to use it's contents.  I can see the ingredients. I can reach the ingredients. I can actually remember that I owned the ingredients so I don't keep buying duplicates.  Naturally, the first thing I wanted to make after finishing my pantry upgrade was make something comforting, fresh and just a little bit fancy.  Lemon Chicken Orzo seemed like the obvious choice. 

Orzo is one of those pantry staples that deserves to take center stage. It looks like rice, cooks like pasta and has the remarkable ability to make an ordinary weeknight dinner feel like it belongs in a sunny little café somewhere along the Mediterranean.
Paired with tender chicken, fresh lemon, garlic, spinach and a little Parmesan it becomes a one-pan meal that's creamy without being heavy, bright without being fussy and comforting without requiring an entire afternoon in the kitchen.

Lemon Chicken Orzo
For the Chicken:
1.5 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons olive oil 
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Lemon Orzo:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1 medium shallot chopped
1 teaspoons basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup orzo uncooked
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
4 oz baby spinach
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Cut chicken into large pieces.

Toss chicken with 1 T. olive oil, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a cast-iron skillet. Add chicken pieces in a single layer.  Brown on both sides.  

Remove chicken.  Add butter, garlic, shallots, basil and oregano. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes.

Add orzo and cook 2-3 minutes.  

Add wine and cook until reduced by half. 

Add stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes.

Stir in spinach during the last 2-3 minutes and cook until it slightly wilts.

​Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the cooked chicken back to the skillet.  ​Garnish with fresh basil, freshly grated lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, and coarsely ground black pepper.

A beautiful pantry will not solve all of life’s problems. It will not make the laundry fold itself, convince the dog to stop shedding or prevent my family from putting an empty container back in the refrigerator.  But it can make everyday cooking feel a little easier.  There is joy in opening a cabinet and seeing exactly what I need. There is satisfaction in reaching for a labeled jar instead of wrestling with a crumpled bag. And there is something wonderfully peaceful about knowing that the ingredients for dinner are right where they belong.  Happy Wednesday friends.  

Ciao!

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