Description
This One Pot Marry Me Chicken Orzo is a creamy, flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring tender bite-sized chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and orzo pasta all cooked together in a luscious Parmesan-infused sauce. Perfect for an easy, comforting dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes and uses just one pot for minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Orzo and Sauce
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and spices: In the same pan, add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, making sure not to burn the garlic.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes and seasonings: Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, mixing well to combine for about 1 minute to release their flavors.
- Cook the orzo: Add the orzo pasta and chicken broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Finish the sauce and combine: Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and the cooked chicken pieces. Cook for an additional 2–3 minutes, stirring gently until everything is heated through and the sauce is creamy.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish just before serving to add a fresh flavor and vibrant color.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream to reduce fat content.
- Add spinach or peas during the last few minutes of cooking for extra vegetables and nutrients.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- Use gluten-free orzo if you need this dish to be gluten-friendly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 610mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
