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Creamy chicken orzo is a quick and easy weeknight meal that takes just 30 minutes and you only need one pan. This comforting recipe features lots of veggies (cherry tomatoes and spinach) in a super-flavorful creamy sauce made with basil pesto. Make this simple restaurant-quality chicken dinner at home - and it might become a new family favorite for busy weekdays!
One-pan creamy chicken orzo
If you're looking to up your game with chicken dinners, this vibrant and colorful one-pot recipe is a must-try. Even though this tasty creamy chicken orzo takes only 30 minutes to make, it makes a beautiful presentation and tastes like something you would order at a fine-dining Italian restaurant. It's a winning combo of ingredients: skinless boneless chicken breasts, orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, basil pesto, garlic, and cream. Juicy and tender chicken (seared with olive oil, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning) is smothered in a luscious cream sauce made with basil pesto. If you love 30-minute one-pan chicken recipes such as this one, don't miss chicken gnocchi with spinach and mushrooms as well as this easy garlic butter chicken with zucchini and corn.
Why you'll love it
- Packed with veggies. This cozy and comforting chicken orzo is packed with veggies, such as cherry tomatoes and spinach. You can even double the amount of veggies and add any other veggies you love!
- Super-flavorful. Basil pesto combined with cream makes a delicious sauce for orzo. Homemade basil pesto is always the best, but the store-bought kind works, too.
- Minimal cleanup. Everything is cooked in one pan (use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed large skillet), even the orzo!
The ingredients
- Chicken. I used skinless boneless chicken breasts sliced into strips. You can also use skinless boneless chicken thighs.
- Orzo. Orzo is an Italian pasta that looks like long-grain rice.
- Spinach. I use fresh spinach and wilted it right in the skillet with orzo. You can also use frozen spinach - thawed and drained of any liquid. Or, use kale or arugula instead.
- Cherry tomatoes. Slice cherry tomatoes in half. You can also use regular tomatoes.
- Garlic. I used fresh minced garlic. It adds aroma and pungency.
- Heavy cream adds creaminess and richness to the chicken orzo. You can lighten it up by using half-and-half instead.
- Basil pesto - use store-bought kind or make basil pesto from scratch.
- Olive oil is used for searing the chicken.
- Chicken broth is added to cook the orzo. You can also use vegetable or beef broth (or stock). Or, simply use water.
- Seasonings include smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Cooking tips
- It's a perfect recipe for using up leftover chicken! Throw leftover cooked chicken or shredded chicken together with the creamy orzo, heat it through, and serve! Rotisserie chicken is another "shortcut" ingredient.
- The sauce will thicken as this dish cools. In this case, add a splash of heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, or chicken broth to thin it out before serving.
- 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 orzo clearly labeled as "gluten-free".
What is orzo?
Orzo is a short-cut pasta resembling long-grain rice in shape. It is made from flour, like usual pasta. Often, orzo is made with semolina (durum wheat used for making pasta).
What type of orzo to use?
I prefer the kind of orzo that is larger in size. In this recipe, I used orzo by Delallo brand, Number 65 cut.
How to cook orzo?
Cook orzo in a 1:2 ratio (1 cup of orzo with 2 cups of chicken stock or water) for about 10 minutes on simmer. You might have to add a small amount of liquid at the end if the orzo is not cooked to your liking.
What kind of chicken to use?
- Skinless, boneless chicken breast. This is what I used in this recipe. Slice them into thinner strips.
- Skinless, boneless chicken thighs are really juicy and forgiving to cook. They will work great with creamy orzo.
- Chicken tenderloins or tenders. Chicken tenders are tender, and small, and will cook similarly to thinly sliced chicken breasts.
- Cooked rotisserie chicken is a great option, too.
Can you make it dairy-free?
- Use unsweetened coconut milk without making any changes to this recipe.
- Cashew milk is another great option as it has a thicker consistency.
- Oat milk or almond milk should work too - you will probably have to reduce the amount by half as these varieties of dairy-free milk have a thinner consistency, so gradually add them to the orzo in much smaller amounts than what the recipe calls for.
Variations, substitutions, and add-ins
- Use different proteins. You can easily add other proteins to this recipe, such as sausage, shrimp, scallops, or salmon. You can even use steak strips with this creamy orzo.
- Use more veggies. This includes sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, arugula, asparagus, or bell peppers.
- Add cheese. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, Gruyere, or Pecorino Romano cheese on top of the creamy chicken orzo.
- Add pine nuts as a topping. Since basil pesto is usually made with pine nuts, it's only logical to use whole pine nuts as a topping for this chicken orzo! They will add a nutty flavor and a nice crunch! I like to toast pine nuts briefly (and carefully!) in the oven for an even richer flavor.
- Add other toppings, such as fresh herbs (basil, thyme, or oregano), chopped green onions, or chopped chives.
- Make it spicy. Red pepper flakes will add heat. Use these sparingly, to taste, so that they don't overwhelm the dish.
Storage and reheating tips
- Fridge. Store creamy chicken orzo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish.
- Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated leftovers in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 seconds more, if needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat this dish in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat. When using this method, add a small amount of heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk to thin out the sauce when reheating.
What to serve with chicken orzo
- Bread. A slice of crusty Italian garlic bread (or olive bread) is a perfect sidekick to creamy chicken orzo.
- Recommended salad recipes. Here are my personal salad favorites: Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Avocado, Mozzarella, and Basil Pesto or this simple yet delicious Arugula Salad with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, Lemon, and Balsamic Dressing.
Other orzo recipes you might like
This delicious rice-shaped pasta works well for one-pan recipes because the orzo is so small that it can be easily cooked in the same pan as the rest of the ingredients. Orzo also pairs with any kind of protein, such as shrimp or chicken, and is a great ingredient for easy-to-make weeknight dinners. Here are some of my favorites:
- Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach
- Italian Sausage Orzo Soup with Spinach and Portobello Mushrooms
- Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo with Sausage
Chicken Orzo (30-Minutes, One-Pan)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts skinless, boneless
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Orzo
- 1 cup orzo uncooked
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup basil pesto
Instructions
Sear chicken
- Slice chicken breasts into thinner strips. Generously season the chicken with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken. Cook the chicken on medium heat for about 3 minutes per side. 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 2 minutes until browned.
- Add 2 cups of chicken stock, half of the cherry tomatoes, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. 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 the remaining cherry tomatoes. Stir everything on low-medium heat until the spinach wilts.
- Add heavy cream and basil pesto to the skillet with orzo and veggies and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce to heat through and until the chicken is completely cooked through.
Nutrition
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 meal was exceptional!! I went back for 2nds even though I wasn’t supposed to! Haha just chefs kiss!!! I will need to make it without heavy cream to cutdown on the fat content. Have you tried evaporated milk? I don’t love Greek yogurt All that much. Thanks for this recipe! It will be a staple in my home!
This recipe was delicious!
I followed it except I used rotisserie chicken since I’m lazy! I’ll definitely be making it again!
Thank you, Gayle, for your review! 🙂 Rotisserie chicken is delicious - great shortcut!
Jennifer, thank you for your 5-star review - I so appreciate it! 🙂 🙂 Yes, you can use evaporated milk or half-and-half (in a smaller amount).
Not usually a big fan of creamy sauces but this looked and sounded so good I made it for supper tonight. Really tasty and will definitely make it again.
Thanks Julia.
Jan, I am glad this recipe exceeded your expectations!! ❤️
Hi. I would like to make this recipe, but I’m wondering if I can use full fat Greek yoghurt in place of the heavy cream? Do you know if this would work please? Thank you so much x
Nicky, I haven't tried this with Greek yogurt (even though it's actually on my to-do list to do a similar recipe but using Greek yogurt instead of cream). If you do decide to try Greek yogurt, make sure to add it at the very end, off heat, so that it doesn't curdle under the heat.
My husband and I made this last night and it is really good. We decided it would be even better with some crimini mushrooms and kalamata olives added in. A tasty and fun dish to do while we listened to see good music. lots of leftovers!
Blaine, I love the idea of adding mushrooms and kalamata olives - thank you for sharing your ideas!!
Julia, I just prepared this dish ! It is full of flavour, delicious, absolutely amazing. We loved it so much ! Definitely one of our favorite Orzo one pan dishes ! Thank you, Julia !
Desislava, I am so happy to hear it's one of your favorites! ❤️ Thank you for your rave review - I so appreciate it! ❤️
Hello Julia
While printing off this recipe for tomorrows dinner I noticed the video for the Tomato Spinach Chicken Spaghetti recipe playing, so I looked that up for dinner one other night this coming week.
I just wanted to send you an email thanking you for ALL your wonderful recipes, I'm SO glad I found your site and have enjoyed many of your recipes.
Thank you so much for all the hard work that goes into your site.
Wow, Donna, thank you for such a thoughtful comment - it means so much to me and motivates me to do more and better recipes! ❤️ I am so happy you found many recipes you like on my site. ❤️
Dear Julia
I don't know how you could possibly give us better recipes than you do, everything is just wonderful as it is. You should be VERY proud of your talent.
Again, thank you for putting forward such a great site for people to go to.
Donna, this is one of the most kind and thoughtful comments I've ever run across on my site. 🙂 Thank you - it means so much to me and motivates to continue doing what I do. 🙂
has anyone made it with full fat milk if i forgot to get cream?
Danielle, full-fat milk should work fine: orzo releases a lot of starch and thickens the sauce regardless. If after the orzo is cooked, the sauce is too runny (which I doubt will happen), you can always thicken it by adding a small amount of shredded Parmesan or similar cheese.
HAS ANYONE TRIED THIS WITH A NON-DAIRY CREAMER (SOY MILK?) iT LOOKS AMAZING BUT MY HUSBAND IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE DAIRY.
Liz, I have not tried this with soy milk, but I know that unsweetened coconut milk works well. You can also use oat or almond milk.
I made this recipe and it was absolutely spectacular! I even froze it for later to take in my lunch, I wanted you to know that it froze and warmed up beautifully! Not a single difference!!
Jodi, wow, thank you for your rave review - it means so much to me!! So glad this recipe froze well and warmed up well, too - thank you for this feedback! ❤️❤️
I have since made another batch of this and frozen 8 lunch containers! When I warm this up at work my co workers go crazy! Have gotten the recipe for themselves!
Wow, Jodi, thank you for spreading the word about my site among your co-workers! Glad you enjoy this recipe! ❤️❤️
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. So good. My husband and I both really liked it. I have tried a number of dishes from Julia’s Album and they all have been wonderful. They are my go-to recipes when I want to make a nice meal without a tremendous amount of effort.
Julie, your comment describes exactly what my food blog is all about! 🙂 Thank you! 🙂
I just made this tonight. Survey says, "It's a keeper!" Very easy and has a nice flavor! Thanks for always posting the best! This is definitely my "go to" food blog!
Christine, I am so flattered that I am your "go-to" food blog! 🙂 🙂 Thank you for this!
Really enjoyable dish. Certainly simple and straightforward (well written) recipe. For my family I increased the amount of
Orzo, deglazed with some white wine and added some chilli flakes to the chicken Coating mix to give a bit of a kick.
Vanessa, I love that you used white wine for deglazing! ❤️ If I had it on hand when I made this recipe, I would to the same thing! 🙂
Just started following you on Facebook. My family loves your recipes - now I have one easy place for all my menu ideas. This recipe was a hit!!!
Victoria, wow, your comment really made my day! ❤️❤️ So glad your whole family enjoys my recipes - I love hearing that! ❤️
Delish!! Comfort meal and can't wait for leftovers tomorrow for lunch. Thank you!!
That's great to hear, Courtney! ❤️
Just made this and WOW!! It is absolutely delicious!! So much flavor and so easy to make. Will definitely be making this dish again!!
Georgina, thank you for taking the time to share your rave review! ❤️❤️ It means so much to me!