Chicken and Orzo
Chicken and Orzo is a one-pot dinner ready in 30 minutes and packed with BIG Italian-inspired flavor. Burst cherry tomatoes, tender chicken, wilted spinach, fresh basil, and LOTS of garlic and Parmesan make it a guaranteed hit!
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A one-pan orzo recipe streamlined for busy weeknights!
Orzo is having a moment, isn’t it? You might even say that the foodie world is in its orzo era, and I am here for it—and so are my Orzo Pasta Salad, Shrimp Orzo, and Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup. And this chicken and orzo skillet too!
- The beauty of this recipe is that it’s a one-pan skillet dinner. The chicken is browned, then the orzo and sauce are cooked together, so there’s no need to boil the orzo separately (and there’s also fewer pots and pans to cleanup afterwards).
- Lest you think that convenience comes at the expense of flavor, oh no, this recipe’s jam-packed with deliciousness thanks to a generous amount of garlic, saucy cherry tomatoes, Parmesan, fresh basil, and so much more.
And, of course, there’s the orzo, which eats like rice and tastes like pasta.
What is it about orzo that makes it so irresistible? I’ll ponder that while eating my second helping of this chicken and orzo.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes on the key players.
- Basil. For a bright, Italian-inspired finish. Don’t try to use dried basil—the flavor pales in comparison to fresh!
- Chicken. You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Seasonings. Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Shallot and Garlic. These form a savory base of flavor for the chicken and orzo. (Garlic lovers, you’ll be happy to know there are SIX garlic cloves in this recipe!)
- Orzo. I recommend regular flour based orzo for this recipe, not pasta made with chickpea or legume flour. While I love those protein-packed pastas, they cook at different rates and absorb water differently, so they’re not ideal for one-pan recipes like this one.
- Cherry Tomatoes. Or grape tomatoes. These burst and combine with the broth to create a sauce for the chicken and orzo.
- Chicken Broth. Because the water in the broth evaporates, it’s important to use low-sodium broth, otherwise this dish will be overly salty.
- Baby Spinach. Wilts quickly into the pan without increasing the cooking time.
- Parmesan Cheese. Freshly grated is a must! It melts smoothly into the dish, creating a cheesy, creamy sauce.
How to Make Chicken and Orzo
Cook the Chicken. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add the chicken, 1 teaspoon each of Italian seasoning and paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through and transfer to a plate.
Sauté the Aromatics. In the same skillet, add the remaining oil and shallot and reduce the heat to low. Once the shallot is softened, stir in the garlic, black pepper, and remaining Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
Toast the Orzo. Stir in the orzo and tomatoes and cook until the orzo is toasted. This adds fantastic flavor to the chicken and orzo recipe!
Simmer. Stir in the broth and increase the heat. When the liquid reaches a gentle boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Stir occasionally and cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente. Near the end of the cooking time, stir more often to keep the orzo from sticking to the pan.
Finish. Stir in the Parmesan, followed by the spinach, red pepper flakes, half of the basil, and the cooked chicken. Season to taste and serve your chicken and orzo with the remaining basil and additional Parmesan. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Make It Creamier. Add a splash of heavy cream before stirring in the Parmesan for a richer, creamier sauce.
- Give It Marry Me Vibes. If you love marry me chicken (or my Marry Me Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups), try adding sliced sun-dried tomatoes when you stir in the spinach. (And maybe that splash of heavy cream too.)
- Make It Meatless. Simply skip the chicken or stir in a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas or white beans.
What to Serve with Chicken and Orzo
This chicken and orzo skillet is a one-pan dinner on its own, but if you want to stretch it a little further, serve it with Homemade Garlic Bread, Air Fryer Green Beans, or Sauteed Zucchini. This Arugula Salad would be excellent too if you want to keep it simple.
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Chicken and Orzo
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning divided
- 2 teaspoons paprika divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 shallot diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced, about 2 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces orzo pasta about 1 ¼ cups
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 3 to 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 ounces baby spinach coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
- ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves thinly sliced, divided
Instructions
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Heat a deep skillet or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil.
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Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden on all sides and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate.
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Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon oil and the shallot. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, black pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook and stir for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
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Stir in the orzo and tomato. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, to coating the orzo with the oil and spices and toast it slightly.
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Stir in the broth. Increase the heat to bring it to a gentle boil, stirring very frequently with a wooden spoon and scraping the spoon along the bottom of the pot to prevent the orzo from sticking. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the orzo, lifting the lid occasionally to stir and run the spoon along the bottom to prevent sticking, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is al dente, 12 to 14 minutes. During the last several minutes, scrape along the bottom very frequently. When the lid is on, you should hear the water boiling steadily underneath it (but you don’t want it boiling so hard, you start to wonder if the lid is going to lift off). If the orzo looks dry at any point, add several splashes of broth as needed to loosen it.
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Stir in the Parmesan, then the spinach, red pepper flakes, half of the basil, and the reserved chicken. Continue stirring until the spinach has just wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired (I add another pinch or two of salt; the amount you need will vary based on your chicken broth). Serve hot, sprinkled with remaining basil and additional Parmesan.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.Â
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in the microwave or in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, with a splash of broth to loosen up the pasta..Â
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.Â
