Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. Thinly slice a lemon and arrange it at the base of an oven-safe skillet. Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat, then add garlic to sauté until fragrant. This will become the flavorful base for your meatballs, infusing them with buttery citrus goodness.

Combine ground chicken, panko, parmesan cheese, egg, and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Using your hands or a spoon, gently mix everything together. Overworking the mixture can make the meatballs dense, so be gentle. Shape the mixture into small meatballs, around 1 inch in size, and place them on top of the lemon butter base.

Place the skillet into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Halfway through, spoon some of the lemon butter sauce over the meatballs to keep them moist and flavorful. They should come out golden brown and cooked through.

While the meatballs bake, start on the orzo. Melt butter in a large pot, then sauté garlic until aromatic. Pour in the chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper, then stir in your orzo. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When the orzo is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, add spinach and parmesan. Stir until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts into the creamy sauce.

Scoop the creamy orzo onto a serving dish or individual plates. Top with the golden lemon butter meatballs, making sure to drizzle any leftover buttery sauce over the top. Garnish with extra parmesan cheese or fresh parsley for a delicious finishing touch!