Summer Squash Orzo Skillet with Chicken Meatballs
Published 8/3/2025
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This hearty chicken meatball skillet is loaded with sautéed zucchini, tender orzo, and fresh cherry tomatoes. It’s an easy, flavor-packed one-pan dinner.
Summer Squash Orzo Skillet with Chicken Meatballs
This hearty chicken meatball skillet is loaded with sautéed zucchini, tender orzo, and fresh cherry tomatoes. It’s an easy, flavor-packed one-pan dinner the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1.5 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large white onion, diced
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, separated
- 2 medium zucchinis, halved and sliced
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup orzo
- Zest from 2 large lemons
- 1.25 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 oz. burrata cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients for the chicken meatballs in a large bowl until combined. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of the mixture into your hands and form a meatball. Repeat until all of the meatballs have been formed. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium/high heat. Add the meatballs to the skillet and partially cook the meatballs by browning two sides. Remove them from the skillet, they will be fully cooked later.
- In the same pan, cook the onion with ¼ teaspoon of salt for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add the zucchini and tomatoes and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the orzo and toast for 1-2 minutes, and then add the lemon zest, broth, lemon juice, heavy cream, and remaining salt. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Add the meatballs to the dish and cover. Simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked and the liquid is mostly absorbed.*
- Once the orzo is cooked through and the meatballs are fully cooked, remove from the heat. Top with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Tips & Notes
- In step 4, if the liquid is absorbed but the orzo is still crunchy, add ¼ cup more of broth, stir, and allow the mixture to simmer until the orzo is cooked through.
- I used zucchini and cherry tomatoes, but feel free to use your favorite garden vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 602 kcal, Carbohydrates: 42 g, Protein: 36 g, Fat: 34 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
