Ingredients
Scale
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1 tsp black pepper divided
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- juice from ½ lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- freshly ground black pepper for servng
- chili flakes for serving
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients. Before you start cooking, make sure everything is ready to go. Grate the Parmesan, chop the onion, mince the garlic, and pat the salmon dry. Dry salmon sears better, giving you that lovely golden crust.
- Season and sear the salmon. Season the salmon fillets with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of butter in your skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, sear the salmon, skin-side down first, for about 3-4 minutes per side. The goal is a golden crust on the outside and a moist, flaky inside. Set the salmon aside.
- Sauté the aromatics. In the same pan (don’t wipe it out—those browned bits are flavor gold!), reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, just until they’re soft and fragrant. This step builds a flavor base for the orzo.
- Toast the orzo. Add the orzo and dried thyme to the skillet, stirring it around for about a minute. Toasting the orzo gives it a nice nutty flavor and keeps it from turning mushy when you add the broth.
- Simmer the orzo. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the orzo simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is almost cooked through.
- Add spinach, lemon, and Parmesan. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt—this only takes about 2 minutes. Then, add the lemon juice and Parmesan, stirring until the orzo is creamy and delicious. If the orzo feels too dry, add a splash more broth.
- Return the salmon to the pan. Nestle the salmon fillets back into the orzo and simmer for another 2-3 minutes to heat them through. The salmon will finish cooking, and all the flavors will come together beautifully.
- Serve and enjoy! Finish with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of chili flakes for a little kick. And that’s it—dinner is served!
Notes
Serving suggestions: make it a meal
This one-skillet salmon with lemon orzo is pretty satisfying on its own, but if you’re looking to round out the meal, here are some side dish ideas:
- A simple salad: A crisp cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon would complement the rich salmon and creamy orzo beautifully.
- Garlic bread: Because who can resist? The orzo is creamy enough to serve as a sauce, and garlic bread is the perfect vehicle for soaking it up.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner