Creamy Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach

Chicken Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach in a white bowl.

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken butternut squash, chicken orzo

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 838kcal

Author Julia

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

US Customary - Metric

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