One-Pot Creamy Parmesan Chicken and Orzo with Asparagus

Prepare the fresh ingredients: Cut 1.5 lb of chicken thighs into 1-inch bite-sized pieces. Wash 1 bunch of asparagus, snap off the woody ends, and cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Finely chop enough fresh flat-leaf parsley to yield 0.5 cup. Mince 4 cloves of garlic. Finely zest the lemon to get 1 tsp of zest, then squeeze out 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice.

Pat the chicken thigh pieces dry with paper towels. Season them evenly with 0.5 tsp of salt and 0.25 tsp of black pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a clean plate, leaving the fat in the pot.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Add 1.25 cups of dry orzo pasta to the pot. Stir the orzo continuously for 1 minute to toast it slightly in the garlic butter.

Pour in 3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the seared chicken and any resting juices back into the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer.

Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.

Uncover the pot and stir in the 1-inch asparagus pieces, 0.5 cup of heavy cream, 0.5 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp of lemon zest, and the remaining 0.5 tsp of salt and 0.25 tsp of black pepper. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes until the orzo is tender, the asparagus is tender-crisp, and the sauce has thickened.

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and 0.5 cup of chopped fresh parsley. Let the dish rest for 2 minutes to allow the sauce to fully set before serving.