Creamy Chicken Orzo

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Creamy Chicken Orzo combines chicken thighs with orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms with a creamy parmesan sauce. This delicious one-pot meal can be made in under an hour and is perfect for a weeknight dinner!

Try our Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup next!

A pot of creamy chicken and orzo with parmesan cheese.

Parmesan Chicken Orzo

There are endless ways to cook chicken, and I’m still working my way through every possible one of them. In the warmer months, I love grilling chicken kabobs or doing a simple grilled chicken Cobb salad.

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When the weather starts cooling off, there is nothing better than some Chicken Tortilla Soup or some Anti-Inflammatory Chicken Ginger Soup. And then there are the dishes that I cook all year long, like Classic Chicken Parmesan, Mexican Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole, and THIS one-pot wonder.

Why this Recipe Works:

  • Quick – This cozy meal cooks in less than an hour and is perfect for busy weeknights.
  • One Pot – You have to love one pot meals that can be on the dinner table in under an hour.
  • Creamy – The half-and-half plus the parmesan cheese makes this creamy comfort food a new family favorite.
  • Well-balanced – We’ve got protein, some carbs, and lots of mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes for a well-balanced meal.
  • Delicious – This one pot meal gets rave reviews from the whole family. The best part is you won’t get tired of eating this pasta dish again and again because it has SO MUCH FLAVOR.
A serving bowl of chicken orzo with a fork.

Ingredients needed for Creamy Orzo Chicken:

These simple ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store.

  • Chicken – Boneless chicken thighs work best for this skillet meal because they are so hard to screw up! Cut them into bite-sized pieces.
  • Orzo – 1.5 cups of dry orzo pasta is needed.
  • Olive Oil – Used to sauté the veggies and chicken.
  • Seasonings – Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and onion powder. We also like a pinch of red pepper flakes in this easy dish.
  • Veggies – Garlic, cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach, and sliced mushrooms.
  • Liquids – A combo of lower-sodium chicken stock and half and half.
  • Cheese – The freshly grated parmesan cheese is key!

You will also need a large (12-inch) cast iron skillet or a stock pot for this recipe. See the links below.

The chicken orzo ingredients, labeled.

How to make Parmesan Chicken Orzo:

Step 1
Sauté mushrooms. Heat a large pot (or cast iron skillet) to medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the sliced mushrooms. Let cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt at the very end, and remove the mushrooms from the pan.

A pot of the sautéed mushrooms.

Step 2
Sauté the chicken. Using the same pan, place it back on the stove at medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and then the chopped chicken thighs along with the seasonings. Cook until slightly browned on all sides, approximately 6-7 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and the orzo pasta and stir constantly for a minute or so.

Step 3
Add liquid ingredients. Pour in the chicken broth and the half and half, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium heat, and let simmer. Cover with a lid or a bit of tin foil, and cook, stirring occasionally to scrape the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is al dente and the liquid is almost fully absorbed. Test seasonings and add more if needed.

Step 4
Add remaining ingredients. Then remove the skillet from heat and add the parmesan cheese, sliced tomatoes, baby spinach, and sautéed mushrooms. Stir well, until the cheese is melted.

Step 5
Serve. Serve immediately with extra parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

What to serve with Parmesan Chicken Orzo:

Closeup on a pot of parmesan chicken orzo.

Possible Variations:

The following list includes different ways to cook our creamy orzo pasta with chicken.

  • Instead of using chicken thighs, you could definitely use chicken breasts. Just be careful to not over-cook during the process.
  • Feel free to adjust the liquids. Try using lower-fat milk or a different percentage of broth to dairy. Want it even creamier? Use heavy cream.
  • If you want to try different veggies next time, go for it. You could use kale, chopped zucchini or yellow squash, or some caramelized onions. The possibilities are endless.
  • You could even use a combination of cheese, like some feta, goat cheese, or Gruyere.
A bowl of orzo with chicken.

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

xoxo ~Sue

A closeup on a pot of creamy chicken orzo with spinach and tomatoes.

Creamy Chicken Orzo

Creamy Chicken Orzo combines chicken thighs with orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms with a creamy parmesan sauce. This delicious one-pot meal can be made in under an hour and is perfect for weekday cooking!
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 628kcal
Author: Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 16 oz. sliced Bella mushrooms
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs – cut into 1.5 inch cubes
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic – minced
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo – uncooked
  • 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 4 oz. parmesan cheese – freshly grated (plus more to serve)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes – halved
  • 1 ½ cups baby spinach
  • pinch of red pepper flakes – to serve (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large pot (or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Then add the sliced mushrooms and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt at the end, and remove the mushrooms from the skillet.
  • In the same pan with another dizzle of olive oil, add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 6-7 minutes, to get them slightly browned.
  • Add the orzo and the minced garlic and stir for about a minute or so. Then add the chicken broth and half-and-half, and cover with a lid (or foil). Turn heat down to a simmer and cook until orzo is al dente and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove the skillet from heat and add the parmesan cheese, sliced tomatoes, baby spinach, and sauteed mushrooms. Stir well.
  • Serve with extra parmesan cheese, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Video

Notes

Possible Variations to this recipe:
  • Instead of using chicken thighs, you could definitely use chicken breasts. Just be careful to not over-cook during the process.
  • Feel free to adjust the liquids. Try using lower-fat milk or a different percentage of broth to dairy. Want it even creamier? Use heavy cream.
  • If you want to try different veggies, go for it. You could use kale, chopped zucchini or yellow squash, or some caramelized onions. The possibilities are endless.
  • You could even use a combination of cheese, like some feta, goat cheese, or gruyere.

Nutrition

Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 1189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 538IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 373mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Suebeehomemaker or tag #suebeehomemaker!

13 Comments

  1. Krista Reilly says:

    I substituted carrots for mushrooms, due to family preference. Flavorful & satisfying—family loved it!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Sounds like a perfect choice! Thank you!

  2. Quickly becoming a family favorite!

  3. We loved this southern style comfort meal. Orzo has become one of our new favorite pastas and this one is packed with flavor.

  4. Betty Koontz says:

    This dish was amazing! I have made one similar with spinach instead of the tomatoes and this was a nice change. I may include both from now on. Thanks Sue!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      So great to hear, Betty!

  5. A new spin on comfort food. This is an awesome easy to make dinner dish with common ingredients. The whole family loved it!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Thanks Dave! So glad your family enjoyed the skillet meal. 🙂

  6. Tried this last night and it was such a treat. Seems like it’s decadent and it is without the calories you would think. So delicious!!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      Hi Shari! I’m so glad you tried the skillet meal and enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂

  7. I love this recipe and gladly accept it into a weekly rotation!

  8. Rob Reding says:

    Another tasty meal that is quick and fairly easy to make. Thanks SueBee. 5 stars from all 4 of us!

    1. Suebee Homemaker says:

      I’m so glad ya’ll enjoyed it, Rob! 🙂

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