This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach is a simple and cozy and well-balanced weeknight meal that has everything: protein, veggies, and carbs! Skinless boneless chicken thighs are pan-seared with smoked paprika and Italian seasoning. Butternut squash coated with fresh herbs is roasted in the oven. It's the perfect comfort food that will surely become one of your family's favorite dinners!
Why make it
- Well-balanced meal. Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach is packed with veggies and protein - a perfect and nutritious dinner to make on a busy weeknight. It has everything you need in a complete meal: protein (chicken), veggies and fiber (butternut squash and spinach), and pasta (orzo).
- Perfect for both weeknights and special occasions. What I love the best about this cozy meal is that with such a small amount of effort you get a beautiful dish that tastes and looks like an entree from a high-end restaurant! Simple enough to make on a busy weekday - fancy enough to serve company!
- Great combo of flavors! Chicken orzo is so comforting and flavorful. Roasted butternut squash and spinach add texture and so much flavor. The seasonings are spot on - smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic, and fresh thyme.
- I hope you try this recipe - it might become your new favorite comfort food, especially during the colder months of Fall and Winter! For more orzo dinner inspiration, check out butternut squash and black bean orzo with sausage and spinach.
Main ingredients
- Chicken - I used skinless boneless chicken thighs. They are super easy and forgiving to cook. You can also use skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins.
- Orzo is an Italian pasta that is shaped and looks like long rice.
- Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as several minerals, including magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Butternut squash is also rich in dietary fiber.
- Spinach is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. It's high in fiber and a good source of many vitamins and minerals. Spinach is a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, iron, and calcium. I use fresh spinach - you can also use frozen spinach - thawed and drained of any liquid. Or, use kale instead.
- Seasonings used to make this chicken orzo with butternut squash and spinach flavorful include smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Cream. I used only ½ cup of heavy cream to add a touch of creaminess.
How to make creamy chicken orzo (the overview)
Here is the recipe in a nutshell. For more details, scroll down to the recipe card below.
1) Roast butternut squash (peeled, cubed, and tossed with olive oil, freshly thyme, salt, and pepper) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 or 30 minutes. Proceed with the rest of the recipe while the squash is in the oven.
2) Cook chicken thighs seasoned with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning in olive oil in a large high-sided skillet. Remove cooked chicken from the skillet to a plate.
3) Cook orzo with minced garlic and chicken stock in the same skillet in a 1:2 ratio (1 cup of orzo with 2 cups of chicken stock).
4) Add spinach to the skillet and cook until it wilts.
5) Assemble the dish by adding roasted butternut squash and cooked chicken to the creamy orzo skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Top with fresh thyme.
Cooking Tips
- Use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet such as a cast-iron skillet or a good-quality stainless steel pan. This will help avoid the burn spots and will ensure even cooking without food getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using long rice instead of orzo.
- Reduce calories by using chopped cauliflower or cauliflower rice instead of orzo.
- Toppings. When serving, you can add grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, or cracked black pepper to the creamy chicken orzo.
- Make ahead tip. Roast butternut squash cubes up to 2 days ahead. Keep them refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
Storage Tips
- Fridge. Store the leftover creamy chicken orzo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. Freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated leftovers in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 extra seconds or more, if needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat it with a small amount of olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat.
What sides to serve with this meal?
- Store-bought or homemade bread. Serve chicken orzo with a slice of warm Italian bread, garlic bread, or olive bread loaf. Baguette or sourdough bread will also be delicious.
- Simple salad. Make a simple salad, such as basic spinach or arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted nuts (pecans or pine nuts), a small amount of shredded Parmesan, and dressed simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Salad recommendations. If you're looking for specific salad recommendations, try this simple spinach salad with pine nuts and Parmesan or cranberry spinach salad with cashews and goat cheese. Or, pair the chicken orzo and butternut squash with the colorful and easy-to-make arugula salad with apples, cranberries, and pecans or Fall-themed arugula salad with pears, apples, cashews, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach
Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach is a simple, cozy, and well-balanced weeknight meal that has everything: protein, veggies, fiber, and carbs! Skinless boneless chicken thighs are pan-seared with smoked paprika and Italian seasoning. Butternut squash coated with fresh thyme is roasted in the oven. It's the perfect comfort food that will surely become one of your family's favorite dinners!
Ingredients
Roasted butternut squash
- 12 oz butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Chicken thighs
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs skinless, boneless
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Orzo
- 1 cup orzo uncooked
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 5 oz spinach fresh
- ½ cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper
- fresh thyme
Instructions
Roast Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
- Roast in the preheated oven on the middle rack at 400 F for 20 or 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Proceed with the rest of the recipe while you roast the squash.
Sear chicken thighs
- Generously season the chicken thighs with salt, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and fresh thyme.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. This allows the skillet to heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes, without moving it. This allows the chicken to sear.
- Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer until it's cooked through. The meat thermometer should register 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the chicken. Remove chicken to a plate.
Cook orzo
- To the same, now empty, skillet, add 1 cup of uncooked orzo, 5 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the orzo on medium heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes until browned.
- Add 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer 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.
- Add spinach, and stir it in until it wilts on low-medium heat.
- Add ½ cup of heavy cream, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Assembly
- Add roasted butternut squash and cooked chicken thighs to the cooked orzo. Top with fresh thyme.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach
Amount per Serving
Calories
838
% Daily Value*
Fat
55
g
85
%
Saturated Fat
17
g
106
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
8
g
Monounsaturated Fat
25
g
Cholesterol
204
mg
68
%
Sodium
346
mg
15
%
Potassium
1138
mg
33
%
Carbohydrates
47
g
16
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
6
g
7
%
Protein
39
g
78
%
Vitamin A
13359
IU
267
%
Vitamin C
35
mg
42
%
Calcium
151
mg
15
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was delicious! I’ll definitely be making this again!
I made this tonight for dinner. I didn't have butternut squash on hand. I did add zucchini, yellow squash, red, yellow , orange peppers. Mushrooms and onion. Was very good! Will definitely make it again. I added the dry herbs. I also added fresh basil and parsley.
Outstanding! I made this recipe exactly as written for dinner guests & everyone said how good it was. Lots of flavor. Thank you or sharing. Carol
Hi Carol! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your review! 🙂
From the moment I clicked on this recipe to the aromatics in the air as I cooked this, I knew I was in love. Wow. What a truly amazing meal. My boyfriend went back for thirds and I grabbed seconds, we ate this ALL. Not a piece of orzo left behind. Once we started we could not stop! This meal made my day, my whole week! We know this recipe is becoming a staple in our household and we have been planning all the different ways we can make this recipe again year round since our first bite! We are in love. THANK YOU FOR CREATING/POSTING THIS RECIPE!! My belly has never been more grateful! 12/10
Unfortunately had to make this without fresh thyme because we didn’t have any on hand. Fortunately, I had dried thyme! It wasn’t exactly the same but still worked out for us! I also read through all the comments and got some inspiration to add some fresh basil and drizzle honey on the butternut squash while its in the oven the last few minutes which I tried out!
I added my own twist and in place of thyme I used the fresh basil, dried thyme, oregano, freeze dried basil, and of course still kept the Italian seasoning
I love a lot of garlic so I also added some garlic powder as well
And the last finishing touch was a light sprinkle of cinnamon powder on the chicken to tie everything together and give it a warm fall flavor.
Irene, thank you so much for your heartfelt and detailed review—it truly made my day! It’s one of the best reviews I’ve ever received, and I appreciate it so much!
i Made it for my family and they practically licked their plates. I added Roasted Broccoli and Mushrooms. It’s a keeper.
I’m so happy to hear that, Susie! I love that you added even more veggies!
Had chicken thighs in freezer to use up. Pulled up your website and chose this recipe since I had ingredients. Easy & so tasty. One ingredient I didn't have was cream so I substituted borsin herb soft cheese. Worked well.
Thank you for the 5-star review, Fiona! I love that you used Boursin cheese—it sounds so delicious, and now I’m inspired to try it too! 🙂
So good! I used half and half because that’s what I had. Definitely a keeper!
Thank you for your review, Christine, so glad you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂
Made this tonight! Yum! Will be made regularly in the future! We really enjoyed it & hubby thanks you!
Sandra, thank you for such a sweet comment - it made my day! 🙂
First time i made it , and we loved it ! So yummy
Thank you for your review, Ashley, so glad enjoyed it! 🙂
Not just another pretty recipe, this was so yummy! Go make it right now!
Shawn, thank you for your rave review. So glad you liked it! ❤️
i've made this several times and it is delicious. A family favorite!
Karen, I am so happy to hear this recipe is worth repeating! ❤️ Thank you for all your reviews on this recipe and the others! ❤️❤️
This was delicious. My family loved it.
Thank you for your 5-star review, Ginger, I so appreciate it! ❤️
I made this last night and it was delicious! I subbed carrots for the squash. Seasoned and roasted them the same but drizzled a little honey on them for the last few mins in the oven and kept them separate as a side dish. I was generous with the chicken seasoning as instructed and it was so good. I couldn't stop eating it. Wouldn't change a thing and will definitely make again!
Jess, wow, thank you for your rave review! ❤️❤️ I love that you used carrots as a side dish - sounds so good!
I absolutely loved this recipe but my husband detests thyme or rosemary. What other herb could I use?
Kay, other spices I like are oregano or marjoram. Fresh basil works, too!
I absolutely loved this recipe but my husband detests the thyme or rosemary. What other her could I use?
I loved the fresh thyme but I'm gonna give it a try with tarragon.