Description
Creamy Chicken Orzo is a cozy one-skillet dinner featuring juicy seared chicken breasts atop velvety orzo pasta, cooked with garlic, onion, spinach, and cherry tomatoes in a luscious Parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights or a comforting weekend meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Sear for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and mostly cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining olive oil, then sauté onions for 2–3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add orzo and toast for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, stir well.
- Return chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender and chicken is fully cooked.
- Stir in spinach, cherry tomatoes, and butter. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, cover for 2 minutes to wilt spinach.
- Stir gently and serve warm with extra Parmesan.
Notes
- Add lemon zest at the end for a fresh pop.
- Use warm broth to maintain even cooking temperature.
- Don’t overcook the orzo, it continues to soften off heat.
- Swap spinach with kale for a heartier version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: creamy chicken orzo, one-pot dinner, skillet pasta, comfort food, easy chicken recipes