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By Sarah Rossi
on Sep 14, 2023, Updated Apr 02, 2024
4.99 from 181 votes
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This Marry Me Chicken Orzo is a treat of a one pot pasta recipe – super simple and takes just 30 minutes to make. All the flavours of our favourite Tuscan inspired chicken dish, made into a complete dinner.
If you’ve already tried my Marry Me Chicken recipe, you’ll know how totally delicious it is (chicken, cream, sun dried tomatoes and parmesan… yum).
I wanted to do a version of this that meant we didn’t have to faff about with side dishes or extra cooking and cleaning up, but still kept those amazing flavours. What better than a one pot pasta?!
And so I have combined the best bits from two of my popular recent recipes – Marry Me Chicken and Orzo Bolognese!
Why you’ll love this Chicken Orzo recipe
⭐️ So easy and simple ingredients
⭐️ Super quick for so much flavour – only 30 minutes
⭐️ One big pot makes a full meal for everyone
About this Marry Me Chicken Orzo recipe
The quirkily-named Marry Me Chicken recipe I published a while ago has gone down a STORM.
If you’re wondering what on earth ‘Marry Me’ is all about in a recipe title, I explain it all in the original recipe here.
And then there’s my Orzo Bolognese, which is equally as popular and is a new take on the old classic, Spag Bol. So many people have told me how much their families are loving this one, and the cooks of the family are equally impressed because it’s so bloomin’ easy!
You really can’t beat a trusty half-an-hour one pot.
I wanted to add a portion of veg into this full meal, so we’ve gone for spinach. It works really well as it cooks so easily down into the sauce and the flavour is great with the rich sauce, adding a little balance.
I hope you love this MARRIAGE of two recipes, which I think come together beautifully to give us a mouthwatering family favourite.
Pre-order my brand new ONE POT book and get it in your kitchen on the day it is released! 📚 Amazon 🇬🇧
Have you tried orzo yet?
If you haven’t tried cooking with orzo yet, I urge you to give it a go!
Kids and adults alike love it, and I am really enjoying exploring new orzo recipes because it’s so versatile. You could also try out my:
⭐️ ⭐️
⭐️ Slow Cooker Lamb Orzo Stew ⭐️
⭐️ Broccoli Orzo Bake ⭐️
⭐️ Meatball Orzo Bake ⭐️
⭐️ Orzo Pasta Salad ⭐️
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Ingredients
- Chicken breast – skinless and boneless
- Olive oil – OR you could use some of the oil from the jar of tomatoes
- Garlic – fresh or jarred/frozen is fine
- Sun dried tomatoes – the type in a jar in oil
- Dried oregano
- Paprika
- Orzo pasta
- Chicken stock
- Double cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Spinach – use baby spinach here as it’s more tender and melts into the sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to make Chicken Orzo
1. Fry the chicken pieces as per the recipe below, then add garlic, sun dried tomatoes, oregano and paprika.
2. Add the orzo, stock and pepper, stir and put the lid on.
3. Turn the heat down and add spinach and cream. Stir until the spinach is wilted.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan.
Hint: If the mixture becomes too dry before the orzo is cooked, add a splash of water.
Substitutions
- Vegetarian – You could use a meat alternative for the chicken and swap the stock for vegetable
Leftovers & reheating orzo pasta
In the fridge Orzo can become a little gloopy after you’ve initially cooked it, so add a splash of water or an ice cube before you reheat it to stop it drying out. Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat fully before serving.
In the freezer Orzo is always at its best when cooked and eaten immediately, but it could be frozen if you have leftovers at a push. Just be aware the texture can just become very stodgy and the cream can sometimes split. See the tip above for reheating.
Top tip
Use the sun-dried tomatoes that come in jars in oil. These are more tender and quick to release their flavour than the dry type, not in oil.
Creamy Chicken Orzo FAQs
What is ‘orzo’?
It is a type of pasta that is shaped a bit like rice. It is known as ‘little pasta’ in Italy, where it was traditionally used in soups, but it has become a widely-used versatile type of pasta that can be used in many kinds of hot or cold dishes.
It tastes amazing and is nice as a change from what we’re used to in the UK when it comes to ‘regular’ pasta types, because it holds its shape well, has a different consistency and cooks well in sauces like this one.
It’s important not to let orzo dry out or overcook.
How do I make sure my orzo doesn’t dry out?
The quantities in this recipe should be good but if you feel as though your orzo is drying out before it’s cooked, add a little extra water or stock and stir.
Don’t overdo it – just a little at a time.
Can you recommend a good pan for making one pot meals?
I recently tasked myself with trying out a variety of one-pan pans in a quest to find out which ones were up to the important job of making an all-in-one meal.
Read my pan review here. I hope it helps!
Can I use a different pasta?
This recipe has been tested multiple times specifically to work with orzo, which is sturdy, cooks so quickly and has a rice-like texture. Feel free to try with a different pasta but you will need to adjust the stock levels and cooking time.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
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4.99 from 181 votes
Marry Me Chicken Orzo {One Pot}
By Sarah Rossi
ThisMarry Me Chicken Orzois a treat of a one pot pasta recipe – super simple and takes just 30 minutes to make. All the flavours of our favourite Tuscan inspired chicken dish, made into a complete dinner.
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 650 g Chicken breast (about x4), Skinless and boneless. Chopped
- 1 tbsp Olive oil, Or oil from sun dried tomatoes jar
- 3 Garlic cloves, Peeled and crushed
- 170 g Sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), Drained
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 250 g Orzo
- 650 ml Chicken stock
- 150 ml Double cream
- 50 g Parmesan , Grated
- 120 g Spinach
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. When it's hot, carefully add the chicken pieces. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until all sides are starting to colour.
Reduce the heat and add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and paprika. Stir for 3-5 minutes until the garlic is softened.
Add the orzo, stock, and some pepper and give everything a good stir and put the lid on. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is almost cooked.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting add the spinach and cream and stir very well for 1-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the cream is heated through. Check the chicken is cooked through.
Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan.
Notes
Chicken:
You could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer but you will need to adjust the cooking time to cook a little longer.
Stock/liquid:
Sometimes you may need a little extra liquid to cook the orzo fully. If the liquid is fully absorbed and the orzo isn’t cooked, add a splash of water or stock until it is cooked through.
Nutrition
Calories: 790kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 56gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 776mgPotassium: 1836mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4567IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 263mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food
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Categorized as:
Chicken, Collections, High Protein, Main Courses, One Pot, One Pot Pasta, Orzo, Pasta, Recipes, Under 30 minutes
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Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️
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39 Comments
My husband announced that this was one of the best meals ever & my daughter actually had seconds which she never does. Amazing recipe. I added a splash of lemon juice to take out the richness.Reply
