This Chicken Piccata Orzo is a flavorful, one-skillet meal featuring seared chicken cutlets served over creamy, lemony orzo with capers, spinach, and Parmesan.
Inspired by Classic Chicken Piccata
This dish reimagines the traditional Italian favorite with a twist—creamy orzo replaces pasta or rice, soaking up all the bright, briny flavors. Everything cooks in one skillet, making cleanup a breeze and flavor buildup effortless. Ready in about 30 minutes, with simple prep and quick-cooking ingredients—this chicken piccata orzo is ideal for busy evenings just like my other one-pan orzo recipes: creamy mushroom and spinach chicken orzo and Greek chicken orzo.
Serve with
- Apple Spinach Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Mozzarella and Basil Pesto
- Greek Salad
- Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls
- Spinach & Ricotta Flatbread
How to Make Chicken Piccata Orzo (Step-by-Step)
This recipe is one of my go-to weeknight meals—bright, creamy, and full of flavor, all made in just one pan in about 30 minutes. Follow along with me as I walk you through it with step-by-step photos. (For the full recipe with exact measurements and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- First, gather all the ingredients. This photo conveniently shows everything you need:
- I start by caramelizing thin lemon slices in butter and a touch of honey, which adds a beautiful sweet-tart finish to the dish.
- Then I quickly sear thin chicken cutlets until golden and set them aside on a plate.
- In the same pan, I sauté garlic and toast the orzo for a couple of minutes—this brings out its nutty flavor and keeps it from getting mushy.
- Then I pour in white wine, chicken broth, cream, lemon juice, and zest, and bring everything to a simmer.
- Once the orzo is nearly done, I stir in capers, Parmesan, and a big handful of baby spinach, letting it wilt into the sauce.
- Then I nestle the chicken back in, top everything with those caramelized lemons, and sprinkle on fresh parsley and extra cheese.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Storage: Let the dish cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in a splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen the sauce if needed. Avoid overheating to keep the chicken tender and the orzo creamy.
More Chicken Orzo Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach
- Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup
- Greek Chicken Orzo
- Creamy Chicken Meatballs with Orzo, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Spinach
Chicken Piccata Orzo
This Chicken Piccata Orzo is a flavorful, one-skillet meal featuring seared chicken cutlets served over creamy, lemony orzo with capers, spinach, and Parmesan.
Ingredients
For the Caramelized Lemons:
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
For the Chicken & Orzo:
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb or 400 g) sliced into cutlets to make them thinner and smaller
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta (9 oz, 250 g) uncooked
- ½ cup dry white wine (120 ml) or more chicken broth
- 2 cups chicken broth (480 ml)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1–2 lemons
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons capers drained
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and add the lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with honey or sugar. Sear for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly caramelized. Remove and set aside.
- Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- In the same skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside. Since the cutlets are thin, they cook quickly. Sear them just until golden and set them aside to prevent dryness.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir in the garlic and orzo. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the orzo is slightly toasted. Lightly toasting the orzo before adding the liquid enhances its nutty flavor and prevents it from becoming mushy.
- Pour in the white wine (or broth) and cook for about a minute scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer. The orzo will absorb liquid as it cooks, creating a naturally creamy texture without needing too much added cream.
- Let the orzo cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until al dente and the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the capers, parmesan cheese and spinach, letting the spinach wilt. Return the chicken to the skillet.
- Top with the caramelized lemon slices and serve warm with extra Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs: While I love chicken breasts for its lean meat, if you want juicier option, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They may need an extra 2–3 minutes of cooking time per side.
- Shrimp: Swap chicken for shrimp—just sear them for 1–2 minutes per side and set aside before cooking the orzo.
- Salmon: This is a perfect dish for pan-seared salmon fillets - somewhat similar to my recent salmon orzo recipe. Cook them first and serve them on top of the orzo.
- Veggies: Add asparagus tips to the orzo during the last 5 minutes of cooking. You can also add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, drained canned artichoke hearts, or canned roasted bell peppers.
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free & Lighter Options:
- Dairy-Free Version: Substitute the butter with olive oil and use a dairy-free cream alternative like cashew cream, coconut cream, or an extra splash of broth.
- Lighter Version: Omit the heavy cream and add an extra ½ cup of broth instead for a more brothy, lightened-up dish.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use GF orzo (you can buy it in the store or online, on Amazon) or long-grain or abrorio rice instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Chicken Piccata Orzo
Amount per Serving
Calories
763
% Daily Value*
Fat
42
g
65
%
Saturated Fat
22
g
138
%
Trans Fat
0.4
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
14
g
Cholesterol
134
mg
45
%
Sodium
814
mg
35
%
Potassium
626
mg
18
%
Carbohydrates
67
g
22
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
10
g
11
%
Protein
26
g
52
%
Vitamin A
2801
IU
56
%
Vitamin C
29
mg
35
%
Calcium
154
mg
15
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely delicious, a definite keeper! I went with the lighter version (no cream) and it was still great. Thank you, Julia!
Yay, I’m so happy you loved it, Laura,—even the lighter version! Thanks for trying it and for the kind words! 🙂
Excellent for a nice worknight dinner. The only substitution I made was to use Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt for the chicken. My wive loved it. We will make this again soon. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad it worked for your weeknight dinner, Rene! And thank you for your 5-star review! 🙂
Made exactly as written but used whole milk instead of cream. Was absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Tess, for your review! And so glad it worked just fine with whole milk!
Delicious--next time I'd cut the heavy cream in ~half, and add red pepper flakes. I always use thighs (pounded to a relatively uniform thickness). I found the orzo needed more time than the recipe called for.
Thank you, Michael, for trying this recipe, and I am glad you liked it! 🙂
I swapped the chicken for shrimp and it was amazing! thank you SO much for this recipe! It’s insanely good and so easy—definitely making it again!
Shrimp is such a great swap—love that you tried it! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and found it easy. 🙂