Creamy Parmesan orzo, fresh spinach, sundried tomatoes and little bite size chunks of chicken come together in one skillet to make the most flavorful, filling and economical meal.

Creamy Parmesan orzo with fresh spinach and sundried tomatoes

I love one skillet meals and I’m so glad you guys do too! I can’t tell you how excited I got when I saw the results of the email survey we did. One skillet meals won hands down as what you’d like to see more of. So here we go.

Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes

Bite sized seasoned chicken gets pan seared and then nestled into a creamy Parmesan orzo with fresh spinach and sundried tomatoes. It’s just out of this world delicious while being so easy to make. This dinner comes together very quickly, in about 30 minutes or so. Gathering your ingredients and prepping them is important with this recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Orzo
Chicken
Onions and garlic
Fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese
Cream
Chicken broth
Spices
Sundried Tomatoes

How to make One Skillet Chicken and Orzo

Start with a very large skillet or, my favorite, a Dutch oven. This vessel fits anything I swear. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and little Italian seasonings (you can also use oregano and thyme) and pan sear until the chicken is almost fully cooked.
Remove the chicken and cover to keep warm. Add some oil and butter to the pan and sauté the onions and garlic. I like to add the orzo at this time to toast it a little before it absorbs any liquid.
Next add the chicken broth and the cream and cook until the pasta is tender.
Add the tomatoes, spinach, cheese and chicken back in and dinner is done!

Tips

I recommend using fresh Parmesan cheese, not only for the freshest flavor, but packaged Parmesan cheese has additives in it which causes the cheese to clump.
Half and half is simply equal parts heavy cream to milk. You can use either. You can also use all heavy cream which would give a much creamier sauce or whole milk which would be much thinner.
The orzo will look a little runny when adding the spinach and chicken, but it quickly absorbs it. I like to let this sit for about 10 minutes before serving it. If you find it needs more liquid, you can add more broth or cream.
I like to use the sundried tomatoes that are jarred in oil. I use some of the oil when sautéing the onions. It adds so much flavor!

A bite of creamy Parmesan orzo chicken spinach and sun dried tomatoes

Make Ahead and Storage:

Make ahead: This recipe is best when immediately eaten, however it can be made a little ahead of time and kept warm on the stove.
Store: To store any leftovers, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Place in the microwave to reheat.

Creamy Parmesan orzo with chunks of chicken and sundried tomatoes

ONE SKILLET PARMESAN ORZO AND CHICKEN RECIPE
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One Skillet Parmesan Orzo with Chicken, Spinach and Sun dried Tomatoes

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Author: Debi

Print Recipe

Description

A one skillet dinner with seasoned tender chicken, creamy Parmesan orzo, spinach and sundried tomatoes.

Ingredients

Scale

1 Boneless Chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp. oil + 1 Tbsp. Butter
½ Cup Onion, diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or oregano and thyme)
1 Cup Orzo
2 Cups Low sodium Chicken broth
1 Cup Half and Half (or whole milk or heavy cream)
⅓ – ½ Cup Sundried Tomatoes (I used the ones packed in oil), chopped
2 Cups Fresh Spinach, roughly chopped
½ Cup Parmesan cheese
Optional: fresh basil or parsley

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Instructions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and some Italian seasoning.
Add about a Tablespoon of oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven and add the chicken. Cook the chicken over medium/high heat until it is no longer pink. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.
Add the oil and butter to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes or until it softens. Add the garlic and orzo and sauté for another minute, stirring to coat the orzo in the oil.
Add the chicken broth and cream and stir. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down so the orzo has a steady simmer, but not boiling. Continue to cook, stirring often until the pasta is tender (about 10 minutes).
Take the pan off the heat and add the sundried tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan cheese and the chicken back to the pan. Cover allowing the spinach to wilt and the cheese to melt.
Stir and serve!