Marry Me Chicken Orzo
A creamy, flavorful one-pan dish featuring tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and orzo in a rich garlic-herb cream sauce. So good, it might just inspire a proposal!
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 0.5 tsp black pepper, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), chopped
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Season the chicken pieces with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add orzo to the skillet and stir to coat with oil and aromatics, about 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Stir in oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and remaining 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Stir in cooked chicken and spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes until spinach is wilted and chicken is heated through.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
- Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream.