Yield: 6

Instant Pot Lemon Orzo Chicken

Instant Pot Lemon Orzo Chicken

This basically takes a Greek Avgolemono soup and turns it into a sauce draped over chicken with some spinach tossed in. I couldn't love this dish more.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced about 1/4″ thick into cutlets
  • 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (with a few pinches of garlic powder, black pepper and kosher salt mixed in), for dredging
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, divided
  • 2 shallots or 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth (1 3/4 cups water + 2 tsp of Chicken Better Than Bouillon)
  • 1/3 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
  • 1 egg
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 5 ounces baby spinach (optional)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional, but suggested)

Instructions

  1. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture so they’re fully coated and set aside on a plate.
  2. Add the olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter to the Instant Pot and hit Sauté and Adjust to the More or High setting. Allow to heat for 3 minutes and until the butter’s melted.
  3. Add the chicken to the pot in batches and lightly brown for about 60-90 seconds on each side. Remove with tongs, set aside on a plate and repeat until all chicken is lightly browned.
  4. Melt the other 1 tbsp of butter in the pot. Add the shallots and sauté for another 2 minutes. Deglaze (scrape) the bottom of the pot from any flour that may have been caked-on from browning the chicken.
  5. Add the broth to the pot along with the chicken and orzo. Smooth the orzo out so it’s submerged in the broth and around the chicken. Top with the spinach (if using) but DO NOT STIR. Just let it rest on top of everything else.
  6. Secure the lid, hit Keep Warm/Cancel and then hit Manual or Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done.
  7. Remove the chicken with tongs to a serving dish (it’s fine if a lot of the spinach gets transferred with the chicken, but leave the liquid and orzo in the pot).
  8. Add the egg and the lemon juice in a measuring cup or bowl and whisk together. Pour it into the sauce in the pot while stirring. You’ll see it thicken up perfectly with a few egg ribbons forming. If you’re using the Parmesan, stir it in now too.
  9. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and enjoy with a side of your choice! (My Mashed Potatoes are a great fit here!) 
  10. Enjoy!

Jeffrey's Tips

I think the orzo ratio to the sauce is perfect as is (remember – the chicken and sauce are the stars of the dish, not the orzo) But if you want more orzo, add up to 1 cup total. Just make sure you add 1 3/4 cups broth per 1/3 cup of orzo (so 3 1/2 cups of broth for 2/3 cups orzo and 5 1/4 cups broth for 1 cup of orzo). And that also means to add the juice of another lemon + 1 more egg per additional 1/3 cup of orzo + 1 3/4 cup broth to balance the consistency and flavors out. If adding Parmesan and/or spinach, up that accordingly as well (or to taste).