One Pan Mushroom Chicken Orzo Skillet

Creamy orzo with thyme, mushrooms, lemons and more; you can't go wrong.

Am I supposed to be using more pots and pans? Don't get me wrong, it's a goal of mine to share recipes that push people to try new things in the kitchen, even if it's not easy or convenient. But, the Cajun way of cooking I grew up around emphasized using the fond on the bottom of a pot, the gremees. With most dishes I cook, that translates to cooking the protein first, often removing it from the pot/pan, and finishing the steps before adding my protein back at the end, making most of my recipes and go-to meals inadvertently "one-pot."

But if I'm being honest, this isn't really a quick recipe, and there are quite a few steps compared to what I'd look for in a typical easy one-pan meal. And sure, there's only one pan to wash, but the prep work will make a few dirty dishes. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that there are a lot of categories we put food in and buzzwords we use to make it rank higher in searches or social media. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but there's more to the way we cook and why.

ANYWAY! I'll move on to the actual recipe. It's so good, but how can pasta with mascarpone and thyme and shallots and mushrooms and all the other yummy flavor boosters it has not be delicious?

MUSHROOM CHICKEN ORZO SKILLET

Ingredients (3-4 Servings)

As always, feel free to mix it up and cook with your heart!

• 1 lb of chicken breast or thighs, cut into slices

• 2 shallots, diced (or three tiny shallots) (or one medium onion)

• Zest of 1/4 of a lemon

• Juice of one lemon

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 6 oz of mushrooms, medium diced

• 2 oz of mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 1/2 a teaspoon of fresh thyme, minced

• Seasonings to taste (I used about a quarter of a teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and half a teaspoon of salt)

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• One cup of orzo pasta

• Splash of water (2 tablespoons)

• 2.5 cups of chicken stock

• 4 oz of mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)

• 1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss in seasonings. Dice shallots, and slice and dice mushrooms. Remove thyme leaves from stems and mince. Mince garlic cloves. Zest 1/4 of a lemon and juice it.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces, and remove and transfer with a slotted spoon. Set aside. (The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.)

4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the chicken fond (the browned bits that stuck to the pan), along with the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Sauté until the shallots have softened and the water has evaporated from the mushrooms, about 5-7 minutes.

5. Pour in 1 cup of orzo pasta and toast for 2-3 minutes.

6. Deglaze by adding lemon juice and a couple of tablespoons of water while scraping the bottom of the pan.

7. Pour in 2 and 1/2 cups of chicken stock. Add the lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and stir regularly until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the pasta is al dente, around 8 to 12 minutes.

8. Bring the heat to low. Stir in mascarpone cheese and return cooked chicken to skillet.

9. Place skillet in the oven for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

10. Remove from the oven and sprinkle 1/2 a cup of parmesan on top. If desired, return the pan to the oven and broil until the cheese has browned. 1-2 minutes.

Did you make this? Let me know how it turned out in the comments!