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Baked Lemon Rosemary Chicken Meatballs and Creamy Orzo. Quick, easy, colorful, and delicious! Baked chicken meatballs with roasted lemon, cooked together with orzo pasta and baby spinach, then finished with melty cheese. This tasty dish is all made in one pan without even having to boil any water. Simply mix, bake, eat, and enjoy!
And we’re back with yet another one-pan dinner. I’m loving these easy all-in-one recipes this month. Fortunately, they’ve been turning out so delicious!
It’s been busy over here, and long days mean my time in the kitchen is limited. I was just saying on a call today that I always keep things like this in mind when creating recipes. Of course, that should go without saying that they also need to be incredibly yummy. My intention is for my recipes to be approachable, easy, and so delicious…while also looking pretty!
It’s the combo that makes a recipe worthy of saving!
And these cheesy, garlic meatballs fit the description to a T.
My mom mentioned that meatballs sounded really delicious with all the snowy weather and cold temperatures we’ve been having. I thought about sharing another crockpot meatball, but then I had the thought to test out baked meatballs with orzo.
I’ve been enjoying my all-in-one baked dishes so much, so I was curious to test this one out. It’s ended up working out wonderfully and turned into a recipe that everyone has really been enjoying!
Ingredients
- ground chicken, ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey
- dijon mustard
- shallot, chopped
- garlic powder or a few chopped cloves garlic
- Italian seasoning
- dried rosemary
- smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- grated parmesan cheese or ricotta cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- chopped lemon peel
- chopped fresh dill
- chili flakes
- dry orzo pasta
- dry white wine
- heavy cream or canned full fat coconut milk
- baby spinach, chopped
- shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
Kitchenware needed
- large cast iron skillet or large dutch oven
- medium mixing bowl, large mixing bowl
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- serving dishes / serving platter
These are the details
Step 1: pre-heat the conventional oven and make the meatballs
I love to use ground chicken or pork for this recipe. Sometimes I’ll mix the chicken and pork if I have both on hand.
Then, add the seasonings to the meat mixture: dijon, shallots, garlic, rosemary and smoked paprika. Then mix in parmesan cheese as well.
Mix everything together and roll it into 2-inch balls. Then, place the meatballs in a baking dish with a little olive oil, chopped lemon peel, dill, and chili flakes. Make sure you have paper towels on hand for clean-up!
Step 2: bake the meatballs
Now, bake the meatballs until they start getting crisp on top.
I like to give them a head start on cooking before adding the orzo. I think this helps them form a nice shape and develop even more flavor!
Step 3: add the orzo
Next, mix the orzo with the oil and meatballs in the baking dish. Add water and wine, and then spinach on top.
No need to boil the orzo. As everything bakes together, the orzo will soak up the water and become perfectly cooked. It’s such a simple way to cook orzo pasta!
Step 4: add the cheese
Pull the dish out, add a touch of cream, then top with either mozzarella or provolone cheese, then bake again until the cheese is all melty and bubbling up.
It’s going to smell so delicious with the lemon and rosemary, and then all that cheese on top! YUM.
Step 5: serve!
Serve the lemon meatballs over the creamy, cheesy orzo. Then I like to add fresh greens and chili flakes on top.
Simple and quick, with very little clean-up, and minimal hands-on time too.
You can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it would be equally great for a small dinner party with friends. Everyone loves this meatball and pasta dinner. Bon apetit!
Looking for other easy weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites.
Creamy White Bean Noodle Soup with Rosemary Bacon.
Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo
Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch
Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf
Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bolognese
Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo
Lastly, if you make this Baked Lemon Rosemary Chicken Meatballs and Creamy Orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
What are the benefits of a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven can maintain temperatures on the stovetop and in the oven and its tight-fitting lid ensures the recipes you are preparing is cooked thoroughly. Here is a great article that shares the benefits of cooking with a Dutch oven: https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/food-network-essentials/what-is-a-dutch-oven
Baked Lemon Rosemary Chicken Meatballs and Creamy Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 679 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, pork, or turkey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and black pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped lemon peel
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- chili flakes
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or canned full fat coconut milk
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.2. Add the chicken, dijon, shallot, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, and parmesan to a bowl. Mix to combine. Roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-16 meatballs). 2. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the meatballs, olive oil, lemon peel, dill, and chili flakes. Bake 8-10 minutes, until just starting to get crisp. Reduce the oven to 400° F. 3. To the meatballs, add the dry orzo. Pour over 2 cups of water and the wine, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Place the spinach on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until most of the water has cooked into the pasta, but not all of it.4. Stir the pasta around, mix in the cream, then sprinkle the cheese overtop. Bake another 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. If there's a lot of oil on top, drain off the excess. Top with fresh dill, basil, or micro greens.
I have to be honest, I really did not like this. I found it to be too much work for the lack of flavour. Way too much fat and calories and it didn’t present well.
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear this was not enjoyed. Please let me know if I can help with anything! xx
Hi, when do I add the cream?
Thanks
Hi Yasmin,
The cream is added in step 4:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Made this for dinner. Absolutely incredible flavour. The family loved it. I would add 2 and a half cups of water next time instead of two other then that it was perfection. 😋😋
Love to hear this, David! Thanks so much for making this dish and your feedback! Have a great Sunday! xT
Would like to make this for a dinner party – how much of the recipe can I prep ahead of time (like 2-3 hours)? Thanks!
Hey Kristyn,
I would make through step 3 and then finish the dish when you are ready to serve. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! It was super convenient to cook everything in one pan. I prepped everything a bit early and then could just go back and forth into the kitchen to add things as needed. I’m sure you could make and freeze the meatballs, which would be a nice meal prep step. I would suggest that you not put amounts in the recipe (like the 2 cups of water or 15-16 meatballs) because when I print the recipe scaled for 2, those things do not automatically change. I had to go back to the original to remember how far I had scaled it and what the original measurements were. The flavor was great and we will definitely be having this again!
Hi Julie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I’m so glad it was enjoyed! Sorry for any confusion with the serving size and measurements in the instructions, there is no way for us to get those adjusted when the serving size is scaled down, so sorry! xx
Do you think I can make the meatballs ahead and freeze?
Hey Suzanne,
Totally, that should work nicely for you! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
I love virtually all of your recipes! Tried printing this one and a couple others today and the “Jupiter” site it goes to for printing is nuts (like 4 pages with numerous unnecessary spaces). Did something change? I’ve tried switching settings, etc, nothing works. I want to try this one so bad!!
Hi Michele,
I’m so sorry about this! We have received this feedback from others and are working to get it fixed! Thanks for letting us know! xx
Made this yummy recipe yesterday swapping chicken for ground beef and left out the cream to save calories. It was so yummy and super flavorful! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was the recipe took 90 minutes from start to finish. I will make this again!
Hey Kayla,
Perfect!! So glad to hear this dish worked out for you using the ground beef, thanks for giving it a try! xT
Wow obsessed! These were so filling and flavorful. Can’t wait to make these again!
Hey Mary,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this dish turned out nicely for you, thanks for trying it! xx
Hey Tieghan,
This was a huge success as I made it for dinner when I had a friend in town from California. He ate like half of what I made in one setting. lol Proclaimed it the best dish he’s every eaten. It was easy to make and provided great lefotvers as well. Everyone of your dishes I’ve made and shared with friends has gotten me lots of compliments. Thanks again as always for the delicous recipes and all the great content you share every day. I love it all so very much!!!
Lol love to hear this, Mike!! Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing with others, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great Monday! xT
Not sure about the Parmesan cheese. It was listed as 1 c and to add it to the chicken and herbs when making the meatballs. Then later it says to sprinkle the cheeses on top before the last cooking step. Please clarify.
I ended up doing both which was delicious but more cheeses than necessary.
Hi Sarah,
The parmesan is added to the meatballs in step 2 and then the mozzarella or provolone is used in step 4. I hope this helps! xT
This smells sooooo good in my kitchen. I have not even tasted yet and I already love it. Thank you!
Hey Christa,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xT
Orzo was dry. Meatballs had all the flavor and orzo was bland. Needed sundried tomato or something else. Also spinach burned, add that last
Hi Kat,
So very sorry to hear this recipe didn’t turn out for you. Please let me know if there is something that I can help with! Was there anything you may have adjusted? Let me know! xx
This recipe was going swimmingly (and smelled delicious) until my 9 x 13 glass pan literally exploded when I poured in the water (hot glass plus coldish water do not go together). I almost made this in a round cast iron pan like in your pictures but decided to just follow the recipe as written. Needless to say, I had to throw the whole thing away. I will try it again another time-I was really excited for it!
Hi Tracy,
Ohh no!! I’m so very sorry to hear this! Please let me know if you try again, cast iron or ceramic would work nicely for you! xT
This was good, but I had to make some changes: substituted chicken broth for wine, but had to add additional broth because the orzo didn’t cook through. Also added the juice from the lemon I zested to give extra flavor. Probably could have not added the cream, as it was creamy on its own…and saved the calories. I would make this again.
Hey Kate,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing the adjustments that worked well for you! Have a great Friday! xT