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Instant Pot Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo

Vivian Schemper, RDN, LDN
This is the type of meal I live for. Warm, colorful, cozy, and packed with flavor. What I love most is that all you need is ONE pot (the instant pot), and this complete method meal cooks in about 6 mins☁️
The inspiration for this recipe comes from Half-Baked Harvest. I love the traditional version of this recipe, but that one is a little heavier and more complex. I wanted to give it my own, more nutritious, and simplified spin, so here it is! Enjoy! 
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Servings 4 people
Calories 423 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp olive oil 2 for the marinade and 1 for cooking
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 small shallots chopped, 1 for marinade and 1 for cooking
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts boneless and skinless
  • 1 tbsp butter salted or unsalted
  • 1 lemon sliced
  • 1.5 cups orzo pasta regular or whole wheat
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups spinach
  • feta cheese optional: for sprinkling on top

Instructions
 

  • Grab a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic cloves, 1 shallot, paprika, and salt & pepper to taste. Add the chicken to the bowl and mix until the chicken is coated.
  • Grab your instant pot and push the [saute] button. Choose the [high] or [more] setting. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Add the chicken breasts and sear on both sides (about 2 minutes per side) until golden. Add the butter, lemon slices, and the other shallot and saute with the chicken for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the instant pot and deglaze (scrape) the bottom of the pan to get all those flavors mixed into the broth. Add the orzo and smooth it until it is completely submerged in the broth and surrounding the chicken. Top with the spinach BUT (!!) do not stir it in. Simply allow it to rest on top of everything.
  • Secure the instant pot lid and hit cancel (to turn off the saute function). Hit [Manual] or [pressure cook] at high pressure for 6 minutes. Do a quick release when the food is finished cooking.
  • When the pressure is released, remove the lid and stir the spinach into the food so everything is evenly distributed.
  • Serve the chicken and orzo warm. Optional: top it with feta cheese crumbles for a pop of flavor.

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