
Chicken Pot Pie Orzo: Creamy One-Pot Dinner with Vegetables
By Lucas Morgan
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Prep this one-pot Chicken Pot Pie Orzo as a four-to-six-serving dinner, then chill extra portions for meals over the next three to four days on busy days. Cook the creamy orzo, chicken, and vegetables together now; reheat later with broth or water to restore its spoonable texture.
Butter-softened onion, carrots, and celery form the base, while garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, bouillon, paprika, adobo, salt, and pepper season it. Flour coats the vegetables before orzo and chicken broth go in, creating creamy pot-pie-style broth as the pasta cooks. Heavy cream or half-and-half and cooked chicken finish the main mixture, with frozen peas added last. Baby carrots or peeled, diced large carrots both fit the listed vegetable base.
During the uncovered simmer, stir every few minutes and watch for tender orzo with most liquid absorbed; the skillet should look creamy rather than soupy. The key mistake is letting the pasta go too long: it cooks quickly and can turn mushy. If the mixture tightens before the pasta is ready, add more broth, then warm the chicken and cream through. Taste and adjust seasoning before the peas are added.
Serve warm with biscuits or a side salad, scattering chopped parsley and optional Parmesan over each portion. For leftovers, cool completely in an airtight container; the orzo thickens in the refrigerator, so loosen each serving with broth or water during gentle stovetop warming or microwave intervals. Biscuits make a warm accompaniment.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Makes four to six servings in one deep skillet, so a single batch covers dinner now and leaves creamy orzo ready for later meals.
- Refrigerated portions keep for three to four days after cooling, giving cooked chicken, vegetables, and pasta a practical weekday lunch plan.
- Reheating is flexible because low stovetop heat or short microwave intervals work once a splash of broth or water loosens thickened orzo.
- The recipe uses cooked chicken, including rotisserie chicken, which shortens prep and makes it useful for turning leftover poultry into a complete meal.
- Orzo cooks directly in broth, reducing separate-pot cleanup while its starch helps the creamy base hold together for portioning and packing.
- Frozen peas go in at the end, so they need little advance prep and retain their place among the carrots, celery, and onion.
Ingredients
- •3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- •1 small yellow onion (diced small)
- •1 cup sliced baby carrots (or 2 large carrots, peeled and diced)
- •4 stalks celery (diced)
- •1 tsp. garlic powder
- •2 tsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
- •2 tsp. fresh rosemary (minced; or 1 tsp. dried)
- •1 tsp. chicken bouillon seasoning
- •0.5 tsp. salt (plus more to taste)
- •0.5 tsp. paprika
- •0.5 tsp. adobo seasoning
- •0.5 tsp. black pepper
- •0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- •1.5 cups uncooked orzo
- •3 cups chicken broth (plus more as needed)
- •1 cup heavy cream or half & half
- •2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or chopped; rotisserie works great)
- •0.5 cup frozen peas (1/2-1 cup; or a mix of peas, corn, and green beans)
- •fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
- •Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
- 2
Add the onion, carrots, and celery, then cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, paprika, adobo seasoning, chicken bouillon seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 4
Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated, cooking for about 1 minute to remove the floury taste.
- 5
Stir in the orzo.
- 6
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
- 7
Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add more broth as needed if the mixture gets too thick.
- 8
Stir in the heavy cream or half & half and cooked chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and creamy.
- 9
Add the frozen peas or mixed vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- 10
Taste and adjust the seasoning based on preference.
- 11
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm with biscuits or a side salad.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
723
Protein
31g
Fat
37g
Carbs
67g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.













