Description
Creamy Tomato Orzo With Chicken is a rich, one-pan comfort meal featuring juicy seared chicken, tender orzo, and a creamy tomato parmesan sauce—perfect for easy weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lb thin chicken breasts
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika (adjust to taste)
- 1½ Tbsp olive oil
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1½ cups uncooked orzo
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken:
Pound chicken to about ½ inch thickness or slice lengthwise. Pat dry and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. - Sear the chicken:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and sear chicken for 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside. - Cook the garlic:
Reduce heat to medium. Add a drizzle of oil and sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. - Deglaze the pan:
Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. - Cook the orzo:
Add remaining broth, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and orzo. Stir and bring to a light boil. - Finish cooking:
Return chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken reaches 165°F and orzo is tender. - Make it creamy:
Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream, tomato paste, and parmesan until smooth and creamy. - Add spinach:
Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. - Serve:
Remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes
- Add extra broth if the sauce thickens too much.
- Substitute half-and-half for a lighter version.
- Stir occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking.
- Kale can replace spinach—just cook a bit longer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One-Pan / Stovetop
- Cuisine: American / Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg