This Creamy Chicken Orzo is made all in one pan and is great for a protein-based weeknight meal. It’s seasoned with oregano, lemon zest, and tomato paste, cooked in cream and chicken stock, and topped with mozzarella and grilled until golden and bubbling. SO good. I really hope you enjoy it!
One pot meals are a winner for me during the week. There’s minimal washing up and it’s low effort and requires low maintenance. I think this creamy chicken orzo is perfect as is, but you could totally add in some more vegetables (asparagus, spinach, zucchini/courgette) or you could make it vegetarian and turn it into my creamy tomato orzo recipe.
For those of you looking for some more pasta recipes to try, check out my lemon boursin one pot pasta or my chicken pasta alfredo with broccoli recipe!
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About Emily's Recipe
If you're new here, hi! I'm Emily - a recipe developer, food content creator, and cookbook author! Thanks for stopping by to check out my Creamy Chicken Orzo recipe. I really hope you enjoy it and please do let me know in the comments if you give it a go!
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Texture: the orzo is al dente and the tomatoes pop as you bite into them. The chicken is soft and moist.
Taste: creamy with a tang of the tomato and zing from the lemon.
Ease: it's a one pan dish and straightforward to follow.
Top Tips: 1. cook the chicken and remove from the pan to avoid overcooking and drying out the chicken. 2. this recipe can be made in around 30 minutes, but cooking the onions, garlic, and tomatoes low and slow will further deepen the flavours, so if you're not short on time, I'd recommend cooking them until caramelised, before adding in the orzo and stock. 3. Make sure to stir the pot continuously once the stock and cream is added to prevent the orzo from sticking to the base of the pan.
Would I make this again? for sure, yes! It's a great mid-week meal!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Chicken: we’re using boneless and skinless chicken thigh for this recipe but chicken breast would also work. For a veggie option, replace the chicken with chunks of portobello mushroom or torn pieces of extra firm tofu.
Onion: we’re using white onion for this recipe but honestly, you could use shallots or red onion. You could also use onion granules if you that’s all you’ve got, but I love the fresh flavour and additional texture the cooked onions bring to the dish.
Garlic: fresh garlic cloves for this chicken orzo recipe. We’re adding 3 garlic cloves, but if you’re a garlic girl (or boy), then you know what to do (add as many cloves as your heart desires).
Oregano: I’ve used dried oregano on this occasion, but feel free to use fresh oregano (make sure to take it off the stem). If you don’t have oregano, you could season this orzo dish with dried parsley, basil, or a pot of mixed herbs).
Tomatoes: I’m using baby tomatoes for this recipe as I love their sweetness and small shape. Any plum/cherry tomatoes work really well. If you only have tinned tomatoes, then use them, but you won’t get those little pops of tomato in your bite.
Lemon: the zest of a lemon adds a wonderful freshness and summer-vibes. Don’t add in the lemon juice as this can become bitter and make the mixture split.
Balsamic vinegar: this adds an acidity to the dish that I love. You can totally omit if if you don’t fancy it.
Tomato paste: we’re using concentrated tomato paste for that punch of tomato rich flavour.
Orzo: one of my favourite pasta shapes…because I can eat it with a spoon. It’s the shape of rice but is ultimately a pasta. If you don’t have orzo, feel free to use any small pasta size like macaroni, stars, or spirali.
Chicken stock: I’ve used a Knorr stock cube with boiling water, but feel free to use chicken broth if you have it available. You can also use vegetable stock to keep it veggie.
Cream: single or light cream is great for this recipe. You can totally use heavy or double cream for extra richness, but I don’t feel like it’s necessary. Go for a plant-based option if you’re vegan.
Mozzarella: we’re topping the creamy chicken orzo with mozzarella and grilling it until bubbling. You can use cheddar instead.
The full list of ingredients and quantities is at the bottom of this blog in the recipe card!
Step by step instructions with photos
Step 1: Place a large pan or skillet on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in your chicken and fry for 5 minutes until the chicken is seared and slightly golden on the outside (it will not be cooked in the middle). Remove and set aside.
Step 2: In the same pan, add in your chopped onion and garlic. Leave to fry for 5 minutes until softened. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid burning.
Step 3: Season with salt and pepper, then add in the dried oregano, baby tomatoes, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste. Fry that for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is aromatic.
Step 4: Pour in the orzo followed by the chicken stock, single cream, and chicken. Stir to combine, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the base of the pan.
Step 5: Once the creamy orzo chicken is cooked and the sauce has reduced and thickened, give it a taste and season accordingly with more salt and pepper. Level out the chicken orzo in the pan and then top with slices of mozzarella. Place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Step 6: Once bubbling and golden, remove from the grill. Serve up with a side salad, warm bread, or just on its own!
What to do with leftovers
Storage: leave to cool, then transfer into airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: once again, leave to cool, then transfer into airtight containers (don’t forget to label with contents and the date), and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave to thaw or defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: to reheat, you can either add a splash of milk or water to the container and leave the lid ajar, place in the microwave and heat until piping hot (but I personally find chicken tastes weird after being microwaved). Or, place the orzo into a pan with a splash of milk or water, and place it on low-medium heat. Stir frequently and leave to simmer until piping hot.
FAQs
For sure, I love adding spinach, chopped pepper, chopped zucchini (courgette), or peas.
Yes, 100% Replace the chicken with torn pieces of extra firm tofu. Swap out the chicken stock for veggie stock and cream for a plant-based alternative. Use a plant-based mozzarella or just leave it out altogether!
100%, this recipe serves 4 portions, so you can store the dish in Tupperware and eat it throughout the week!
More recipes you might enjoy!
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Creamy Chicken Orzo (One-Pot)
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken thigh boneless and skinless, chopped into bitesized pieces
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 450 g baby tomatoes
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 100 g tomato paste
- 300 g orzo
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 300 ml cream single or light
- 250 g mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Place a large pan or skillet on medium heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add in your chicken and fry for 5 minutes until the chicken is seared and slightly golden on the outside (it will not be cooked in the middle). Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add in your chopped onion and garlic. Leave to fry for 5 minutes until softened. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid burning.
- Season with salt and pepper, then add in the dried oregano, baby tomatoes, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste. Fry that for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is aromatic.
- Pour in the orzo followed by the chicken stock, single cream, and chicken. Stir to combine, then leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the base of the pan.
- Once the creamy orzo chicken is cooked and the sauce has reduced and thickened, give it a taste and season accordingly with more salt and pepper.
- Level out the chicken orzo in the pan and then top with slices of mozzarella. Place under the grill for 5 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Once golden and bubbling, serve up with a side salad or garlic bread, and enjoy!
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