Quick Look at Creamy Marry Me Orzo Chicken
- Ready In: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Protein: 40+ grams protein per serving
- Main Ingredients: Orzo, chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
- Dietary Info: Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free friendly.
- Best For: Busy weeknights when you need something warm and cozy quick!
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Why Marry Me Chicken Orzo Pasta
Will Become Your New Love Language
- One Pot, Less Dishes: There’s nothing worse than finishing a delicious meal only to be met by a pile of dishes in the sink. Which is why we made this entire meal in one skillet!
- Dairy & Gluten Free Friendly: Simply swap out a few ingredients to make this one work for the whole family!
- Leftovers: Marry me chicken with orzo makes great leftovers! Just give it a splash of broth to revive the orzo.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken Thighs: Dark meat is the perfect compliment to the other savory flavors in this dish and make for the most tender bites. Feel free to swap with chicken breasts.
- Orzo: Orzo is our favorite little pasta for soups, skillet dinners, and pasta salads; Golden Turmeric Chicken Soup, Parmesan Chicken Orzo, Greek Orzo Salad to name a few. They’re a little larger than rice and have the texture of pasta. Make our Marry Me Chicken Quinoa Skillet if you want to skip the gluten.
- Dairy-Free: Easily swap the butter and parmesan cheese for dairy-free varieties to make this dish dairy-free.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Step 1 – Add oil, onion, garlic and pancetta to skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Step 2 – Add chicken, season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 3 – Add butter and let melt. Then add orzo, broth, tomatoes, oil, paste, Italian seasoning, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and stir while cooking.
Step 4 – Bring mixture to a simmer and stir often so orzo doesn’t stick – approx. 12-15 minutes.
Orzo Pro Tip
After making this recipe many times, we know that sometimes the orzo can absorb the broth quicker than anticipated. So if you notice that the skillet is looking a bit dry during the cooking process, add in a few splashes of broth.
Step 5 – Add spinach and parmesan during the last minute or two of cook-time.
Step 6 – Stir to combine until there’s an even consistency throughout.
Step 7 – Serve with fresh basil and extra parmesan and enjoy!
What We Learned While Testing
One Pot Marry Me Chicken Orzo
- Keep Stirring – Once the orzo and other ingredients listed in step 4 have been added to the skillet, keep stirring the orzo every couple of minutes and continuously around the 7-8 minute mark. This is the point where the orzo can really stick to the bottom of the pan if left unattended.
- The Best Leftovers – Add a splash of broth before reheating Marry Me Chicken Orzo to help keep the orzo from drying out.
Marry Me Chicken Orzo FAQ & Tips
Yes! Add pre-cooked chicken during step 5 when adding in the spinach and parmesan cheese. Give it all a big stir and serve once the chicken has warmed through.
No, you can not swap orzo for rice as they cook differently and require a different amounts of broth.
No, since there’s cheese mixed into this skillet meal, it will make the mixture separate once thawed.
Other Delicious Orzo Recipes You Might Like
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, sub plant-based butter
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup pancetta, diced
- 3¼ cups chicken broth, more, if needed
- 1½ cups orzo
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ – 1 cup fresh spinach, torn into pieces
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded (plus more for serving)
- red pepper flakes, optional
- fresh basil, optional for serving
Instructions
- Sauté: Bring a deep cast iron skillet or braiser to medium-high heat. Add ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, diced onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, and ⅓ cup pancetta. Move around and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Chicken: Add cut-up chicken to the hot skillet and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Sauté 1-2 minutes (chicken will finish cooking while the orzo cooks).
- Combine: To the skillet of chicken, add 3¼ cups chicken broth, 1½ cups orzo, ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- Simmer: Bring to a simmer and stir quite often (being sure to scrape the bottom) so the orzo doesn't stick for 12-15 minutes or until the orzo is fully cooked. Add splashes of chicken broth, if needed.
- Spinach + Parm: Add ½ – 1 cup fresh spinach (torn into pieces) and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and melt over a low heat.
- Serve: Enjoy right away with more parmesan and chopped basil, if desired.
Notes
- Dairy-Free: simply use a plant-based butter and a dairy-free alternative for the parmesan cheese.
- Gluten-Free: use a gluten-free orzo pasta or try our Marry Me Chicken Quinoa Skillet!
- Chicken Thighs: feel free to use chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins instead of chicken thighs.
- Broth: the amount of broth will vary a bit, be sure to have some handy to keep adding because the orzo will keep soaking it up. If this dish sits at all before serving – definitely add a splash or two of broth to revive.
- Storage: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
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