Picked With Passion

This One Pan Lemon Orzo with Broccoli and Chicken Sausage is comfort food at its finest and comes together in just 25 minutes. Plus it has less than 400 calories (9 Weight Watchers Freestyle SmartPoints) for a cheesy, creamy pasta dish that you will make again and again.

One pan dinners are the way to go on busy nights. Not only does it mean less dishes, it also means that you don’t have to worry about making a main dish and side dish since everything is cooked together – your protein, grain, and veggie all in one. This version is a spin on a traditional lemon and broccoli pasta with the addition of some lean chicken sausage for protein and flavor. You could also use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or ground turkey. You may just want to add in some additional spices to kick up the flavor. Spices like fennel, Italian seasoning, grill seasoning, thyme, or rosemary would all be delicious.

For the pasta, I decided to use orzo since I love the way it absorbs flavors, but this would work with almost any kind of pasta. Cooking it directly in the liquid allows the pasta starch and chicken broth to combine and create a creamy, flavor filled sauced. Then to make everything even more tasty, there is some Parmesan cheese and lemon. Yum. One more note, this recipe would probably work with rice or quinoa as well for a gluten free option. Just make sure to add a little more cooking liquid than the package directions call for since the sausage and broccoli will absorb some of the liquid.

Tips for Making One Pan Lemon Orzo with Broccoli and Chicken Sausage

• Although I opted to use orzo, you can use almost any pasta for this recipe. You could also make a gluten free version with quinoa or rice. 
• All kinds of veggies will work in this dish. Just choose something sturdy that isn’t likely to get to mushy during cooking.
• Sometimes I add a can of drained diced tomatoes to the recipe as well. It adds some extra veggies and great flavor.
• For a lower SmartPoint or calorie version, use chicken breast or lean ground turkey instead. Just make sure to add some extra spices since you will be missing the flavor of the sausage. This lowers the points by 3 points.
• This keeps well in the fridge for a few days so don’t be nervous about the extra servings.

Looking for more one pot pasta dishes?