This Rooster Piccata Orzo is a flavorful, one-skillet meal that includes seared hen cutlets served over creamy, lemony orzo with capers, spinach, and Parmesan.

Impressed by Traditional Rooster Piccata
This dish reimagines the normal Italian favourite with a twist—creamy orzo replaces pasta or rice, absorbing all the intense, briny flavors. All the things cooks in a single skillet, making cleanup a breeze and taste buildup easy. Prepared in about half-hour, with easy prep and quick-cooking substances—this hen piccata orzo is right for busy evenings identical to my different one-pan orzo recipes: creamy mushroom and spinach hen orzo and Greek hen orzo.
Serve with
- Apple Spinach Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Mozzarella and Basil Pesto
- Greek Salad
- Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls
- Spinach & Ricotta Flatbread
The best way to Make Rooster Piccata Orzo (Step-by-Step)
This recipe is considered one of my go-to weeknight meals—vivid, creamy, and filled with taste, all made in only one pan in about half-hour. Observe together with me as I stroll you thru it with step-by-step pictures. (For the total recipe with actual measurements and directions, scroll right down to the recipe card.)
- First, collect all of the substances. This picture conveniently exhibits all the things you want:
- I begin by caramelizing skinny lemon slices in butter and a contact of honey, which provides a phenomenal sweet-tart end to the dish.
- Then I shortly sear skinny hen cutlets till golden and set them apart on a plate.
- In the identical pan, I sauté garlic and toast the orzo for a few minutes—this brings out its nutty taste and retains it from getting mushy.
- Then I pour in white wine, hen broth, cream, lemon juice, and zest, and produce all the things to a simmer.
- As soon as the orzo is sort of performed, I stir in capers, Parmesan, and a giant handful of child spinach, letting it wilt into the sauce.
- Then I nestle the hen again in, prime all the things with these caramelized lemons, and sprinkle on contemporary parsley and additional cheese.
Storage & Reheating Directions
- Storage: Let the dish cool utterly, then retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low warmth or within the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in a splash of hen broth or cream to loosen the sauce if wanted. Keep away from overheating to maintain the hen tender and the orzo creamy.
Extra Rooster Orzo Recipes
- Creamy Rooster Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach
- Rooster Lemon Orzo Soup
- Greek Rooster Orzo
- Creamy Rooster Meatballs with Orzo, Solar-Dried Tomatoes, and Spinach
Rooster Piccata Orzo
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Substances
For the Caramelized Lemons:
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
For the Rooster & Orzo:
- 2 massive boneless skinless hen breasts (about 1 lb or 400 g) sliced into cutlets to make them thinner and smaller
- Salt and black pepper to style
- 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) raw
- ½ cup dry white wine (120 ml) or extra hen broth
- 2 cups hen 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 child spinach
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped contemporary parsley
Directions
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Warmth a forged iron skillet over medium warmth. Soften 1 tablespoon butter and add the lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with honey or sugar. Sear for 1–2 minutes per aspect till golden brown and barely caramelized. Take away and put aside.
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Season the hen cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge them within the flour, shaking off any extra.
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In the identical skillet, warmth olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high warmth. Sear the hen for 3–4 minutes per aspect till golden brown and cooked by means of. Take away and put aside. Because the cutlets are skinny, they cook dinner shortly. Sear them simply till golden and set them apart to forestall dryness.
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Cut back warmth to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir within the garlic and orzo. Cook dinner for 1–2 minutes, stirring, till the orzo is barely toasted. Evenly toasting the orzo earlier than including the liquid enhances its nutty taste and prevents it from changing into mushy.
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Pour within the white wine (or broth) and cook dinner for a couple of minute scraping the underside of the pan with a spoon. Stir within the hen broth, heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Convey to a mild simmer. The orzo will take up liquid because it cooks, making a naturally creamy texture while not having an excessive amount of added cream.
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Let the orzo cook dinner, stirring sometimes, for 8–10 minutes till al dente and the sauce thickens.
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Stir within the capers, parmesan cheese and spinach, letting the spinach wilt. Return the hen to the skillet.
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Prime with the caramelized lemon slices and serve heat with additional Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Substitutions
- Rooster Thighs: Whereas I really like hen breasts for its lean meat, if you would like juicier choice, use boneless, skinless hen thighs. They could want an additional 2–3 minutes of cooking time per aspect.
- Shrimp: Swap hen for shrimp—simply sear them for 1–2 minutes per aspect and put aside earlier than cooking the orzo.
- Salmon: It is a good dish for pan-seared salmon fillets – considerably much like my latest salmon orzo recipe. Cook dinner them first and serve them on prime of the orzo.
- Veggies: Add asparagus tricks to the orzo over the past 5 minutes of cooking. You can too add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, drained canned artichoke hearts, or canned roasted bell peppers.
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free & Lighter Choices:
- Dairy-Free Model: Substitute the butter with olive oil and use a dairy-free cream various like cashew cream, coconut cream, or an additional splash of broth.
- Lighter Model: Omit the heavy cream and add an additional ½ cup of broth as a substitute for a extra brothy, lightened-up dish.
- Gluten-Free Model: Use GF orzo (you should buy it within the retailer or on-line, on Amazon) or long-grain or abrorio rice as a substitute.