Description
A delicious and easy one skillet salmon recipe featuring tender salmon fillets served over creamy lemon orzo with spinach and Parmesan. Perfect for a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon and Seasoning
- 4 skinless salmon fillets
- 1 tsp salt – divided
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper – divided
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
Orzo and Vegetables
- 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
For Serving
- freshly ground black pepper – for serving
- chili flakes – for serving
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Grate the Parmesan cheese, finely chop the onion, and mince the garlic cloves. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of the salmon with garlic powder, sweet paprika, and half of the salt and black pepper.
- Sear Salmon: Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick pan or skillet. Add the salmon fillets and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked on the outside. Remove the salmon from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in dried thyme and the remaining salt and black pepper.
- Toast Orzo: Add the dry orzo pasta to the skillet and toast it for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the low sodium chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the orzo is almost al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes.
- Add Spinach and Finish Orzo: Stir in the baby spinach and simmer until wilted, about 2 minutes. Then add lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring to combine. Add additional broth if needed to achieve desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Warm Salmon: Return the seared salmon fillets to the skillet on top of the orzo. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the salmon is heated through.
- Serve: Top with freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy your flavorful one skillet salmon with lemon orzo.
Notes
- Patting the salmon dry helps it sear better and develop a nice crust.
- You can substitute vegetable broth to make this recipe pescatarian or vegetarian without salmon.
- If you prefer, use fresh thyme instead of dried for a brighter herb flavor.
- Adjust lemon juice amount to taste for a more pronounced citrus kick.
- Be sure to stir the orzo occasionally during cooking to prevent it from sticking to the skillet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
