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30-Minute, One-Pan Creamy Chicken Orzo

30-Minute, One-Pan Creamy Chicken Orzo

Creamy Chicken Orzo is a delightful one-pan meal that combines tender chicken with orzo pasta in a rich, creamy sauce. It's comforting, easy to make, and can be whipped up in just 30 minutes. Whether you're craving something cozy or need a quick weeknight dinner, this dish is a winner. Plus, its versatility allows for plenty of adaptations depending on what you have on
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 546
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.3 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms or crimini
  • salt and pepper
  • Creamy orzo
  • 1 cup orzo uncooked
  • 2 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
  • ½ teaspoon paprika or more
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 5 oz fresh spinach
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste

Method
 

  1. Season the chicken thighs with Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt.
  2. Heat an empty, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as a cast-iron or stainless steel pan) over medium heat for 2 minutes. This allows the skillet to heat through.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes on one side, undisturbed. This allows the chicken to sear.
  4. Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer on the other side, without moving it, until it's cooked through.
  5. The meat thermometer should register 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the chicken. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
  6. Cook mushrooms
  7. Add sliced mushrooms, generously seasoned with salt and pepper, to the same, now empty, skillet. Cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes (flipping once) until lightly browned and softened. Remove half of the cooked mushrooms from the skillet to a plate.
  8. Make creamy orzo
  9. Add uncooked orzo, chicken broth, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the same skillet with half of the cooked mushrooms.
  10. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (medium-low) and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan until the orzo is cooked through.
  11. Add fresh spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking the orzo.
  12. Add ½ cup of cream. Stir everything on low-medium - do not bring the sauce to a boil.
  13. Season with salt and red pepper flakes, if desired.
  14. Assembly
  15. Stir in the remaining half of cooked mushrooms.
  16. Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Reheat gently on low heat.

Notes

  • Make it DAIRY-FREE using unsweetened coconut milk (full-fat or lite), oat, or almond milk instead of ½ cup of cream.
  • Make it GLUTEN-FREE using GF orzo or long-grain rice with similar cooking times (or adjust cooking times and liquid amounts).
  • You can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream to lighten it up.