One Pot Chicken and Orzo
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Perfectly seasoned and cooked chicken thighs atop this creamy orzo with sun dried tomatoes come together to make this delicious One Pot Chicken and Orzo. All in one pot, easy, quick and prefect for a weeknight dinner!
Before You Start
- Use Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs: These stay juicy and add extra flavor to the dish. If you prefer boneless, just reduce the cooking time slightly.
- Choose the Right Skillet: Use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or braiser that can hold both the chicken and orzo comfortably. A tight-fitting lid is a must for even cooking.
- Don’t Skip the Brown Bits: After cooking the chicken, leave those golden bits at the bottom of the pan. They’re packed with flavor and will make your sauce extra rich.
- Taste as You Go: Seasoning salt varies in flavor, so taste the sauce after adding the broth and cream. Adjust salt and pepper as needed before simmering.
- Stir the Orzo: Stir every few minutes to keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
- Finish with Fresh Basil: Add the basil at the very e
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken – I used chicken thighs with skin and bones for lots of flavor but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well.
- Onion – We want something that cooks down well like white or yellow.
- Garlic – Use as much or little as you like but I recommend fresh garlic. Jarred garlic will work, but can have a bitter taste if it has been in your fridge for a long time.
- Orzo – We want this small shaped orzo pasta for our dish, but you could also substitute it with couscous.
- Liquids – Heavy cream and low sodium chicken broth make up our liquid base. You can sub the heavy cream with half and half or even milk for a lower fat content.
- Spices – Seasoning salt and red pepper flakes for some dimension and heat!
- Sun dried tomatoes – I love to really amp up the flavor of my pasta dishes by combining sun dried tomatoes with a nice creamy sauce, believe me it’s delicious.
- Cheese – Parmesan cheese, some of the good stuff grated up fresh.
- Butter and olive oil – We want to combine butter and olive oil to brown up our goodies, this will ensure we get all that brown butter flavor without any burnt butter bitterness.
To begin, you’ll want to prep the chicken by patting the thighs dry with paper towels. Next, season them generously on both sides with seasoning salt.
Grab a large skillet or a braiser, add the olive oil and heat it over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken thighs skin side down and cook for about 5 minutes per side, on both sides until no longer pink inside. However, the chicken doesn’t necessarily have to be fully cooked inside, as it will continue to cook later on with the orzo.
Next, you’ll want to transfer the chicken to a plate and drain all the leftover oil from the chicken, but do not scrape the brown bits, leave those for the sauce.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, stir well and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the onion is soft and translucent. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits full of amazing flavor.
Then once the onion is cooked, add the orzo, heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and stir to combine, then bring to a boil. At this point, I like to taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Add the chicken thighs back to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. You’ll now want to cover the skillet with a lid and cook the chicken and orzo for 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked and most of the sauce has evaporated or absorbed by the orzo. You might need to check on it every few minutes and give it a stir. If you find the orzo is sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is low.
All that’s left to do is to garnish the chicken and orzo with some fresh basil or parsley. I like to also sprinkle some more freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
How To Serve
This One Pot Chicken and Orzo is a complete meal on its own, but I love pairing it with fresh sides or simple bread to make it even more special. Here are some of my favorite sides to serve with it:
Easy Garlic Bread
Skillet Green Beans
Easy Coleslaw
Tomato Basil Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, you can! Small pasta shapes like ditalini or small shells work well. Just keep an eye on the cooking time, as they may cook faster than orzo.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of chicken broth or cream to keep the orzo creamy.
Can I freeze this dish?
It’s not ideal to freeze, as the cream and orzo can change texture when thawed. However, you can freeze the cooked chicken separately and prepare the orzo fresh when ready to serve.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes! Cook the chicken and prepare the orzo up to a day in advance, then store them separately in the fridge. Combine and reheat when ready to serve, adding a bit of broth or cream to keep it moist.
Can I substitute the heavy cream?
Absolutely! You can use half-and-half or even evaporated milk for a lighter option. For a dairy-free alternative, coconut cream works too, though it will add a slightly sweet flavor.
What’s the best way to ensure the chicken is cooked through?
Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This ensures they’re fully cooked and safe to eat.
What Else Can I Add?
Another great thing about this recipe, besides it being quick and delicious, is the fact that it’s quite versatile. Although I give you a basic recipe here, feel free to add what you’d like to bulk it up a bit and maybe even make it a bit healthier!
| Veggies | Meat | Starches |
| Spinach | Bacon | Couscous |
| Broccoli | Pancetta | Pasta |
| Asparagus | Shrimp | Rice |
| Peas | ||
| Carrots | ||
| Mushrooms |
More Delicious Orzo Recipes
- One Pot Spicy Pork Ragu with Orzo
- One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Lemon Orzo with Asparagus
- One Pot Greek Chicken Orzo
- Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus
- Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Orzo
- One Pot Orzo Bolognese
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One Pot Chicken and Orzo
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 chicken thighs (with skin and bone in)
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup orzo (uncooked)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup basil (chopped)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken thighs with seasoning salt on both sides. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet and fry on both sides until no longer pink inside, about 5 min per side, but each cooktop is different so you'll have to watch it.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside. Drain the leftover oil from the skillet but do not scrape the brown bits, leave those for the sauce.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes and cook for about 5 minutes, just until the onion is soft and translucent. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits.
- Add the orzo, heavy cream, chicken broth and Parmesan cheese to the skillet and stir everything together. Bring to a boil, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet, reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked and most of the sauce has been evaporated or absorbed by the orzo. Make sure to stir every few minutes or so to ensure orzo doesn't stick to bottom of pan.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh basil.
Notes
- Once adding the butter and onions, make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits full of amazing flavor. This is the key to getting a lot of great flavor into our orzo.
- Temp the chicken. It’s always a good idea to make sure that your chicken is fully cooked and has reached at least 165°F (75°C) before serving. I always use my easy to read digital cooking thermometer.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in for 3 to 5 days.
- Transfer the chicken and orzo to an airtight container and freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
