Italian-Herbed Chicken with Lemon Orzo and Cheesy Roasted Zucchini

This Italian-herbed chicken dinner balances bright, cozy and savory flavors on one plate. The orzo gets a simple finish of lemon juice and parsley, while the chicken cooks quickly after being butterflied.

The roasted zucchini and tomato are topped with fresh mozzarella, Parmesan and panko, then broiled until bubbling and golden for a crisp, cheesy finish.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 ounce Orzo PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Fresh MozzarellaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ParsleyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry the produce.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the zucchini rounds and tomato wedges with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer.
3. Roast the vegetables for 10 minutes. They should be starting to soften but not fully finished.
4. Meanwhile, add the orzo to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain and return the orzo to the pot.
5. Butterfly the chicken breasts: place one hand on top of each chicken breast and slice horizontally about three-quarters of the way through, stopping before cutting all the way through. Open the chicken like a book. Season all over with salt, pepper and the remaining Italian seasoning.
6. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and reserve any juices.
7. While the chicken cooks, cube the mozzarella, halve the lemon and roughly chop the parsley.
8. After the vegetables have roasted for 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn the broiler to high or increase the oven temperature to 500°F.
9. Sprinkle the roasted vegetables with panko, mozzarella and Parmesan. Broil or bake until the panko is golden, the cheese is melted and the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
10. Stir the juice from one lemon half and half the parsley into the orzo. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Divide the lemon orzo between plates. Top with the cheesy roasted vegetables and chicken. Spoon over any resting juices from the chicken plate, add a squeeze of lemon, garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How long does this chicken orzo dinner take?

The recipe is designed to come together in about 30 minutes, with the orzo, chicken and vegetables cooking in overlapping stages.

Can I bake the topping instead of broiling it?

Yes. If you do not want to broil, increase the oven temperature to 500°F and bake until the panko is golden, the cheese is melted and the vegetables are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

How do I know the chicken is done?

Cook the butterflied chicken until it is no longer pink in the center, about 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat.

What makes the orzo lemony?

After the orzo is cooked and drained, it is tossed with juice from half a lemon and chopped parsley, then seasoned with salt and pepper.

What allergens are in this recipe?

This recipe contains wheat from the orzo and panko and milk from the mozzarella and Parmesan.