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This Creamy Green Goddess Orzo with Chicken is the kind of dish you’ll want to keep in rotation all year long —a velvety, herby pasta dish packed with flavor, protein, and just the right amount of indulgence. It’s bursting with fresh asparagus, lemon zest, and a creamy fresh herb whipped cottage cheese! Simple to whip up on a busy weeknight, but also elegant to serve to guests.
As a nutritionist, my favorite meals are the seasonal recipes that include garden veggies and herbs, protein, and are incredibly flavorful! Inspired by the classic Green Goddess dressing, this recipe blends basil, parsley, dill, garlic, cottage cheese and lemon into a luscious sauce that hugs every grain of tender orzo. Toss in juicy, golden-seared chicken and you’ve got a one-pan meal that hits all the right notes: creamy, bright, hearty, and green in all the best ways!
Reasons you will love this Creamy Orzo Dinner
- One pot, minimal cleanup: yup. You can get this on the table in 30 minutes!
- Fresh herbs = bold flavor: you can also easily customize with fresh herbs you have on hand
- Comforting without being heavy: I use low-fat cottage cheese which adds in protein and creaminess without the heavy cream.
- Customizable for vegetarian or dairy-free versions: you can easily omit the chicken or omit the cottage cheese for a dairy-free variation.
- High Protein: You can easily make this high protein for your body goals by adding cottage cheese!
How to make Creamy Green Goddess Orzo with Chicken
- Gather up your easy ingredients: chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces, shallots, garlic, orzo, asparagus, chicken broth, low-fat cottage cheese, fresh parsley, fresh dill, fresh basil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Parmesan cheese for topping!
- We’ll cook the chicken first in a large skillet, then remove. Sauté the shallots, garlic, and orzo. This step elevates the flavor! I love the toasty orzo.
- Pour in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer. After about 10 minutes, add the asparagus to cook for another 3 – 5 minutes.
- Make the creamy whipped cottage cheese by mixing it with herbs, lemon juice, and zest in a food processor. Stir in the orzo mixture once the broth has been absorbed!
- Top with chicken and fresh parmesan!
Tips and adaptations for this dinner
- The toasting of the orzo is a must! It elevates the flavor. I’ve tested it both ways and it makes a difference!
- You can easily swap out the herbs: chives and mint are also great options!
- To make dairy-free, replace the cottage cheese with an avocado. You may need to thin this out with more lemon juice or water when whipping the sauce.
- I love the asparagus addition, but this can be swapped out with a different veggie like zucchini, peas, or even stirring in spinach.
Creamy Green Goddess Orzo with Chicken
This Creamy Green Goddess Orzo with Chicken is the kind of dish you’ll want to keep in rotation all year long —a velvety, herby pasta dish packed with flavor, protein, and just the right amount of indulgence. It's bursting with fresh asparagus, lemon zest, and a creamy fresh herb whipped cottage cheese!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Chicken breast
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Avocado oil
- 1 shallot, (diced)
- 3 cloves Garlic, (crushed)
- 2 cups Dried orzo pasta
- 4 cups Chicken broth
- 1 cup Low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup Loose basil leaves
- 1/2 cup Loose parsley
- 1/4 cup Fresh dill
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tsp Lemon zest
- 1 lb Asparagus, (trimmed ends, then cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup Fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. While skillet is heating, season the chicken with Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Add oil to the skillet, then add the chicken. Sear for 6 – 10 minutes turning halfway and making sure the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken and set aside. Keep the skillet hot, add more oil if needed. Then toss in shallot, garlic, and dried orzo. Toast for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken broth.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 12 – 15 minutes, or until orzo is al dente. Stir every 3 minutes or so to make sure orzo doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. A few minutes before the orzo is done, about the 10 minute mark, add the asparagus.
- While the orzo is cooking, add the fresh herbs, cottage cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until smooth and cottage cheese is whipped.
- Once the orzo is al dente, stir in the cottage cheese mixture until well combined and creamy. Add the chicken back to the skillet.
- Serve with parmesan cheese and additional salt & pepper to taste.
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loved this! I didn’t have parm or shallots and it still tasted delicious!
So happy to hear!