Description
These Baked Lemon Rosemary Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo are a delicious and comforting meal that is perfect for a cozy dinner at home. The juicy chicken meatballs are bursting with flavor from fresh herbs and zesty lemon, served over creamy, cheesy orzo for a satisfying dish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for greasing pan)
For the creamy orzo:
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Form into meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Prepare the orzo: In a skillet, melt butter, add garlic, then stir in orzo. Pour in chicken broth and simmer until orzo is tender. Stir in cream, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook until creamy.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs over the creamy orzo and garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for the chicken if preferred.
- Add spinach or peas to the orzo for extra veggies.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 590mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
