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This rich and savory chicken orzo recipe is loaded with juicy chicken pieces, fresh asparagus, and ripe tomatoes tossed together with tender orzo pasta in a creamy sauce.
This family favorite chicken orzo dish, featuring crisp asparagus and juicy, ripe tomatoes, is not only simple to prepare but also bursting with flavors and textures. I came up with this recipe when I ran out of rice and decided to use orzo instead. Who knew it’d be this good?! I had no idea, but here we are. And then, another time, I only had chicken thighs on hand, so I added those, and it turned out even better!
It’s the perfect solution for an easy weeknight dinner that’s sure to please the entire family. It even leaves you with delicious leftovers for the days to come.
Why We Love This Creamy Chicken Orzo Recipe
Quick and cozy. Have a huge bowl of comforting chicken orzo ready in under an hour. This recipe is one of the best throw-it-together dinners for weeknights.
Rich, creamy sauce. Enjoy a rich and creamy sauce that perfectly coats all the ingredients in this dish. It’s easy to make and packed with a robust Parmesan flavor.
Customizable. You can customize this dish with your preferred pasta, vegetables, proteins, etc. If you have extra ingredients hanging out in the fridge, this recipe is the perfect way to use them.
What Is Orzo?
Orzo is a type of pasta made from durum wheat or semolina flour, the same flour used to make couscous and most Italian pasta. Orzo is a little chewy, with a subtle, nutty taste. You’ll find orzo in a lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, and it’s a popular pairing with chicken, as in chicken in a pot with lemon orzo and chicken orzo soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To create this chicken and orzo recipe, you’ll need a handful of fresh ingredients. Gather your orzo pasta, chicken breasts, veggies, and a few pantry staples to make this creamy meal.
- Orzo Pasta: You can use whole wheat orzo or white flour orzo, cooked according to the package directions.
- Chicken: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into even-sized cubes.
- Veggies: Fresh chopped asparagus and ripe cherry tomatoes or any veggies of your choosing.
- Olive Oil, Butter, and Flour: You’ll whisk them together to form a roux, which is the base for your cream sauce.
- Chicken Broth: I recommend low-sodium chicken broth, or you can also use vegetable broth.
- Milk: You can use whole milk, 2%, or skim milk.
- Parmesan: Freshly shredded is best.
How to Make Chicken Orzo
Creating this delicious dinner is easier than you think! Follow these simple steps to make a cozy meal that combines tender chicken, buttery orzo, fresh veggies, and a creamy parmesan sauce.
- Boil the orzo. In a large pot of salted water, boil the orzo to al dente.
- Cook the chicken and veggies. Meanwhile, sauté the chicken pieces and asparagus in a large skillet with oil. When the chicken is browned, stir in the cherry tomatoes. Set the skillet aside.
- Make the sauce. In a separate pan, whisk together flour with melted butter and oil to create a roux. Add chicken broth and milk. Lastly, take the pan off the heat and stir in your grated parmesan cheese.
- Combine. Drain the cooked orzo, and add it to the sauce with your chicken, asparagus, and tomatoes. Stir everything together, season to taste, and serve!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Use leftover chicken. If you already have cooked leftover rotisserie chicken or poached chicken on hand, it makes this recipe even quicker!
- To cook orzo, you’ll boil it in a pot and drain it the same as you would any other kind of pasta. Most orzo cooks al dente (with a bite) in about 8 minutes.
- Salt the pasta water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water you’ll use to cook your orzo. The key to flavorful pasta is well-seasoned pasta water.
- Add lemon. Stir in some fresh lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to boost the flavors.
- Different veggies. In place of asparagus, try broccoli florets, celery, carrots, kale, peas, or any other vegetable you have on hand. You might also like this cheesy chicken orzo recipe with fresh spinach.
- Different protein. In place of chicken, try steak bites or air fryer meatballs. Crumble in some cooked, smoky bacon for extra flavor. Or, try this one pot shrimp with orzo.
- Herbs. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, or fresh herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, or cilantro. Add crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
What Can I Substitute For Orzo
- Pasta: Make this recipe with penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or long pasta varieties like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine.
- Gluten-free: The best gluten-free substitutes for orzo are arborio rice, quinoa, or millet.
- Grain-free: Replace orzo with prepared cauliflower rice or lentils.
- Other: Try another grain, like farro and pearl barley.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Orzo ticks all the boxes for a meal in one, but you can always round out your dinner with homemade focaccia bread or garlic breadsticks. This light and easy Caesar salad, or this Mediterranean white bean salad are also great! I also love to serve it with my easy oven roasted vegetables, these savory roasted mushrooms, or crispy air fryer roasted broccoli.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
To store, transfer the chicken orzo to an airtight container and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until the chicken is hot throughout.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes To Try
- Chicken Pasta Bake
- Chicken Pasta Primavera
- Lemon Chicken Fettuccine
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta
- Chicken Bruschetta Pasta
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Chicken Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup orzo pasta, cooked according to the directions on the package
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 pound asparagus, ends cut, and chopped into 2-inch pieces
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup milk, you can use skim, 2%, or whole milk
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare orzo per directions on the box. Drain and set aside.
- In the meantime, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken pieces and asparagus; season with salt and pepper and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked and browned on all sides.
- Add tomatoes and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until tomatoes are tender; set aside.
- Heat olive oil and melt butter in a separate large pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with flour and whisk to combine, whisking and cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the chicken broth until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer; allow to cook for 1 minute or until thickened.
- Remove from heat, add parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper; stir until the cheese is melted.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce with the chicken, asparagus, and tomato mixture. Toss well to combine. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.
- Serve.
Notes
- Vegetables: Swap the asparagus for other options like broccoli, celery, carrots, kale, peas, or any veggies you have available.
- Proteins: Instead of chicken, consider using shrimp, steak bites, or crumbled cooked bacon.
- Herbs: Add flavor with Italian seasoning or fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, oregano, or cilantro. For a spicy kick, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Orzo: If you don’t have orzo, make this recipe with penne, fusilli, rigatoni, or long pasta varieties.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I’ve wanted a KitchenAid FOREVER. Do you know how long forever is? 😉 I’ll be married 30 years this June…..THAT’S how long forever is! LOL! There are 7 of us, so I could use this to shred chicken, mix cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, oh, the possibilities! Yeah, at this point in life, anything like this would be a dream come true!
Wow this looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it sometime!
I’ve been wanting a mixer for a while… I would definitely use it to make homemade pizza dough!
Creamy pasta?! Yes please, I love orzo so this is my dream dinner!
Hah! I liked your song 😉 I’ve wanted a kitchenaid for a long time. I would make a ton of things, but up at the top of my list would be shredded chicken. I love making big batches of chicken in the crock pot, but using two forks to shred them all takes a while. I’ve seen youtube videos where people use their paddles to shred up the chicken and it’s amazing 😉
I would make a cherry cheesecake
Homemade wheat bread among many other things.
I would make salted chocolate chip cookies!
I would bake a cake!
OMG this looks so amazing!!!
I would make my grandma’s banana bread.