Looking for a creamy, delicious one pot creamy orzo with chicken? This Marry Me Chicken Orzo is nothing short of incredible! Made in one pan, this creamy chicken orzo includes Parmesan cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for ultimate flavor.
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Love a great one-pan chicken dinner? Check out our Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potatoes and our Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes recipes.
Do you love the ease of cooking with orzo pasta? This creamy chicken orzo is the perfect recipe when you’re looking to make an amazing dinner in one pan.
In about 30 minutes this creamy orzo with chicken is ideal for just about any night of the week. With the perfect flavor and richness, this recipe is ideal for cooking once and eating all week!
What do I need to make Marry Me Chicken Orzo?
- Chicken breasts – chicken breast meat is great in this recipe, however, feel free to substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a more moist meat.
- Yellow onion – fantastic for adding flavor to the creamy orzo.
- Minced garlic – I like to used minced garlic that comes in the jar, as it’s a great time-saver. Feel free to mince fresh garlic if you prefer.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil (comes in a jar) – Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes can be found in the Italian section of your grocery store. For this recipe you will use both the oil and the tomatoes.
- Butter – for making a roux, which will be the thickening base for the orzo.
- Flour – also for making the roux, which acts as the thickening agent for the sauce.
- Chicken stock – helps create the creaminess for the orzo. You can also use chicken broth.
- Whole milk – the whole milk helps create the rich creamy sauce for the orzo. You could also use half and half, but I wouldn’t recommend using 2% or skim milk, as you won’t get the same creamy texture.
- Seasoning and spices – You’ll need Italian herbs, garlic salt and pepper for seasoning the orzo.
- Orzo pasta – Orzo is a small pasta, not a grain, risotto or rice. It can be found in the pasta section of your grocery store.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese – I like using pre-shredded Parmesan cheese, however, feel free to shred your own Parmesan.
- Fresh baby spinach – this can be found bagged in the produce section. If needed you can substitute frozen spinach, just be sure to thaw well and press out any excess water before adding to the recipe.
- Lemon juice – I like to juice a single lemon for this recipe.
- Dijon mustard – adds a nice depth of flavor to the orzo sauce.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make creamy orzo with chicken?
This recipe can be made all in one large pan. I recommend using a Dutch oven, which is ideal for cooking all of the ingredients.
If you’re using fresh chicken breasts, begin by lightly seasoning with salt and pepper and then cooking for 5-6 minutes per side in the Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the breast meat in to small bite-sized pieces.
To the same pan, add in the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, and heat over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté. Once the onions become translucent, transfer to a bowl with the chicken to keep warm.
To the same skillet, melt the butter scraping up any brown bits from the chicken and onions. Add in the flour and cook to bubbling. This roux will be the thickening base for your creamy orzo sauce.
How do I make a creamy orzo with chicken?
To the roux, add in the chicken stock and milk and stir over medium low heat. This mixture will begin to thicken slightly. Add in the Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper.
To the liquid mixture and in the orzo and bring to a low boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer. The orzo will begin to thicken. Add in the cooked chicken and onions, chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, lemon juice and mustard.
Additional Ingredients and Add-ins to Marry Me Chicken Orzo:
- Sauteed Mushrooms – sauteed mushrooms would add some great flavor and texture and pair well with the chicken, Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Artichoke hearts – these would add a great briny flavor to the creamy orzo and would pair nicely with the chicken.
- Fresh asparagus – substitute the spinach for chopped, fresh asparagus. This would add some great flavor and texture to the creamy orzo.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
Once the last ingredients have been added, stir together and cook for just a few more minutes. If needed, add some additional milk to create a more creamy texture.
Love cooking with orzo pasta? Check out some of these other fantastic orzo recipes:
- Boursin Orzo Bake
- Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
- Baked Italian Chicken with Orzo Pasta
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad at Homemade Heather
Frequently asked questions about making creamy orzo with chicken:
No, orzo and risotto are not the same. Orzo is a pasta typically made of semolina flour, whereas risotto is a grain made of Arborio rice.
Typically, orzo pasta needs 8-10 minutes to cook. Be sure to reference the package directions for exact cooking times.
When cooking orzo you’ll need a 2:1 ratio of liquid to orzo; 2 parts liquid to 1 part orzo pasta.
What can I serve with creamy orzo with chicken?
While this dish can be great on its own, creamy chicken orzo is great served with vegetables and or a side salad. Here are some of our favorite sides that would go with this orzo recipe:
- Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
- Italian Roasted Vegetables from This Italian Kitchen
If you loved this one-pan chicken recipe, check out some of these other similar recipe ideas:
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Creamy Parmesan Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven This Le Creuset Dutch oven is one of my all-time favorite pieces of cookware. Super durable and versatile! Great for soups and stews.
- Wooden Spurtle Tools This 5-Piece Wooden kitchen tool set is amazing and great for use in non-stick cookware. No scratches and no plastic!
Ingredients
- 16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 2 breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil from jar of sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
For Creamy Parmesan Orzo:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups whole milk or half and half
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta uncooked
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 2/3 cup sun dried tomatoes Julianne cut
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- To a large Dutch oven or large skillet, add in 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil and heat over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken breasts that have been seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook on each side for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature reached 165 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- To the same pan, and the remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Add in the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Transfer mixture to same bowl with chicken. Cover to keep warm.
- To the same pan, melt the butter. Add in the flour and whisk together. Mixture will bubble and brown slightly. Cook for about 2 minutes. Scrape up any brown bits from the chicken and onions. Pour in the stock, milk, Italian herbs, garlic salt, pepper and orzo pasta. Stir together. Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Stir often. Mixture will begin to thicken and orzo will begin to plump up.
- Once mixture begins to thicken, add in the cooked chicken and onion mixture, chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and mustard. Stir well. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
- Serve right away with additional Parmesan cheese for topping.
Notes
Nutrition
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