One-Pan Marry Me Chicken Orzo with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
By Isabella Quinn
Servings
6
Level
Easy
A single pan is all you need for an easy weeknight meal of chicken and orzo. All of the ingredients for this recipe can be prepared in that one pan. Other ingredients needed for this recipe include chopped chicken, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and coconut milk. Possible uses for this dish include serving it as a spoonable chicken and orzo dish.
Chicken breast is drained, sliced, and sautéed in more olive oil. Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper are sautéed with the chicken breast. Orzo and chicken broth or water are added to the pan with other ingredients. Chicken broth or water is added to help orzo cook covered. Sun-dried tomatoes and garlic provide flavor to the dish and pan sauce. Drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes can be prepared as directed in the recipe and set aside for use in cooking.
After reducing the heat, stir the orzo occasionally for 12 minutes while cooking it covered. Before adding coconut milk or heavy cream and spinach to wilt, test the doneness of the orzo. The main problems you can encounter when cooking orzo are pasta sticking to the pan and other cooking issues; stirring can help avoid these problems. Keep the lid on the pan when stirring to ensure the orzo cooks properly.
Add grated Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking time. Do not return skillet to heat. Serve as directed. This dish is a complete chicken and orzo meal and does not need to be served with other side dishes.
Why we keep this one around
- Saves time on prep since chicken, sun-dried tomato sauce, orzo, and other components can all be cooked in the same pan rather than requiring an additional pot to cook the pasta.
- Simplifies cooking by prepping cubed chicken and mashed garlic and measuring other spices to add to the pan individually.
- Speeds up dinner preparation because chicken takes less time to cook than tomatoes and other vegetables.
- Orzo can be baked under a cover with the other ingredients added.
- Uses a pantry staple as a cooking liquid in place of the liquid listed in the recipe, chicken broth or water can be substituted for the orzo cooking liquid in the recipe.
- Saves making a second dish by stirring in coconut milk or heavy cream at the end with cooked orzo and spinach.
- Easy to serve because Parmesan cheese is added at the end of preparation, and the skillet is served immediately, with pieces of chicken and slightly wilted spinach in each bite.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into cubes)
- •2 tbsp olive oil
- •4 cloves garlic (4-5 cloves, mashed)
- •¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil and drained)
- •2 tsp Italian seasoning
- •2 tsp paprika
- •½ tsp kosher salt
- •1 tsp ground black pepper
- •1 cup orzo
- •2 ¾ cups chicken broth or water
- •¾ cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
- •2 large handfuls fresh spinach
- •¾ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel.
- 2
Slice the chicken breasts into cubes and set aside.
- 3
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- 4
Add the chicken once the oil is hot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the edges start to cook.
- 5
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- 6
Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
- 7
Add the orzo and chicken broth or water, then stir well.
- 8
Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook for 12 minutes.
- 9
Remove the cover every few minutes and stir to keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- 10
Once the orzo is cooked through, add the full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream and spinach.
- 11
Stir until the spinach is wilted.
- 12
Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir one last time.
- 13
Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
420
Calories
36g
Protein
18g
Fat
30g
Carbs
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