When you’re having one of those days when you think you don’t have time to cook anything, try this easy, buttery, and super tasty Creamy Chicken and Orzo Skillet! It’s hearty, rich, comforting, and a perfect dinner for when you want to do anything but spend time in the kitchen. Bonus: it cooks in one pan! Can you ask for anything more?
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a tiny football-shaped pasta that looks like rice but cooks much faster. Like rice, it soaks up all the water it’s cooked in, so you don’t have to worry about draining. That makes it an excellent choice for a speedy one-pan meal.
What You’ll Need
You are just a few spices and a handful of ingredients away from an incredible dinner! Here’s what you’ll need to make this Creamy Chicken And Orzo Skillet.
- Seasoning Blend– We’re making our own with paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. In a pinch, you can also use a heaping tablespoon of your favorite seasoning blend, though you should steer clear of anything super salty.
- Boneless Chicken Thighs– These cook much faster than bone-in chicken thighs and their juices help flavor the orzo.
- Yellow Onion– Adds depth and a subtle sweetness to the dish.
- Garlic– Also adds depth and lends a slight nuttiness when cooked.
- Orzo– This pasta cooks quickly and adds bulk. If you don’t have access to orzo, substitute it with a quick-cooking pasta like ditalini or pearl couscous. You can also use rice, but you’ll have to adjust the cooking time so it has enough time to cook.
- Vegetable Broth– You need a liquid to cook the orzo and this broth does the trick without overpowering the dish. You can substitute it with water or chicken broth.
- Cream– Creates a velvety, creamy sauce.
- Butter– Helps pull the sauce together.
- Parmesan– Adds depth and a touch of saltiness to the sauce. It also helps give it texture.
What Can You Serve With Creamy Chicken And Orzo?
This creamy Chicken and Orzo Skillet pairs well with a fresh side salad or roasted veggies. Some great options include:
How To Store Leftovers
The orzo will absorb much of the creamy sauce it’s cooked in, but the leftovers are still tasty. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. However, do this within two hours of cooking the dish. Chicken left at room temperature any longer than that can contain enough harmful bacteria to give you food poisoning. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on a stovetop or in the microwave until the chicken is steaming.
Creamy Chicken And Orzo Skillet
Servings 4 servingsIngredients
- 1 tsp paprika ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp pepper ($0.02)
- 1.25 lbs boneless chicken thighs (4-5 thighs) ($4.23)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
- 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.11)
- 1 1/2 cups orzo ($1.13)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth* ($0.23)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream ($0.71)
- 2 Tbsp salted butter ($0.30)
- 1/4 cup parmesan ($0.44)
Instructions
- Add the paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Mix until combined.
- Blot the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then season both sides liberally with the seasoning blend.
- Heat a large deep skillet over medium and add the cooking oil. Add the seasoned chicken thighs and cook undisturbed until well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Turn the heat down to low, and add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the orzo and vegetable broth to the skillet and stir well to help dissolve the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan and nestle it down into the orzo.
- Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let the broth come to a full boil. Then turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer for about 15 minutes or until most of the broth is absorbed.
- After about 15 minutes, the orzo should be tender and most of the broth absorbed, but there will still be a little sauce in the skillet. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
- Add the cream and the butter to the skillet. Stir and heat over low until the butter melts and the cream is hot.
- Add the Parmesan and stir to combine.
- Finally, return the chicken to the skillet. If desired, garnish with parsley.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Creamy Chicken And Orzo Skillet – Step by Step Photos
Add 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a small bowl. Mix until combined.
Blot the 1.25 pounds of chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then season both sides liberally with the seasoning blend.
Heat a large deep skillet over medium. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the seasoned chicken thighs and cook undisturbed until well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a clean plate. The chicken will finish cooking when simmered with the orzo.
Turn the heat down to low and add the diced onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic to the skillet. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add the 1 1/2 cups orzo and the 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth to the skillet. If you prefer a looser sauce, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth. Stir well to help dissolve the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Then return the chicken to the pan and nestle it down into the orzo.
Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let the broth come to a full boil. Then turn the heat down to low. Let the skillet simmer for about 15 minutes or until most of the broth is absorbed. If at any point it stops simmering, increase the heat slightly until it starts to simmer again.
After about 15 minutes, the orzo should be tender and most of the broth absorbed, but there will still be a little sauce in the skillet. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Then add the 1/2 cup of cream and the 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Stir and heat over low until the butter melts and the cream is hot.
Next, add the 1/4 cup parmesan and stir to combine.
Finally, return the chicken to the skillet. If you’d like, garnish with chopped Italian parsley and serve. Pair with a side salad or roasted veggies for an incredibly filling meal! Wasn’t that easy?
So delicious and easy!
Would using bone-in thighs make a big change? Probably needs to cook for longer – maybe braise for 20 minutes then add the orzo?
This recipe is amazing! Definitely a new family favorite that will be on rotation. My 21 month old has had multiple helpings each time we eat it. So much flavor!
I really enjoyed this! Very easy and tasty. However, I did end up adding a lot more broth than was listed in the recipe, perhaps a cup to a cup and a half more. My orzo kept sticking to the bottom of the pan under the chicken, and there just wasn’t enough to cook the orzo. I used bone broth because that’s what I had, don’t know if that had an effect. I think next time I will cook the chicken and leave it out till the end rather than putting it back in while the orzo is cooking so the pasta can cook properly. I also subbed whole milk for the cream which worked great, and did half a tsp smoked paprika and half a tsp reg paprika for a little more flavor!
The recipe calls for 4-5 bonless chicken thighs and is supposed to serve 4. Do you really mean that? It would seem one chicken thigh per serving is rather small. Perhaps I’m not understanding correctly.
It’s one chicken thigh and a bunch of orzo. If you pair that with a side dish or two then you’ve got a substantial meal. But everyone has different appetites, so there’s never going to be a one size fits all serving suggestion. :)
Is there any chance this might be good substituting quinoa with a little more broth for the orzo? I’m cooking for a person with a wheat allergy.
Hmmm, honestly I think orzo is going to change the texture and flavor quite a bit and I’m just not sure it would be a good fit. But everyone has different tastes, so maybe your friend will like it!
Can you use pork? not a fan of chicken.
Pork tends to get overcooked really quickly, so you’d need to adjust the method to compensate.
Easy and delicious. Used 1/2&1/2 bc that’s what I had and added spinach. Delicious.
Loved this! Super flavorful and very easy to make. I did end up with an off consistency with liquid and orzo from trying the recipe from before it was edited (along with fiddling some measurements on my own – accidentally added a bit too much broth so added a bit more orzo then halfed the cream), but I felt like that didn’t impact the flavor at all – we just ate it in bowls! I can’t wait to make this again! 😋
If I used chicken breasts instead of thighs, would that change the cooking time?
Not by much! Just make sure to sear them well and if they are really thick, pound them out to a thinner consistency. The orzo will take 15 minutes to cook no matter what. xoxo -Monti
Super flavorful & easy to make, with readily available ingredients.
Do you think I could put some broccoli on top of the chicken/orzo/broth for the 15 minute cook time? Would it steam well or would it mess with the orzo cooking process? Trying to add a green veg without adding another dish to wash!
I don’t think there would be quite enough steam coming through the thick sauce to steam it completely. You’ll have more control if you do it in a separate pot. :)
Thank you!!
I have added frozen peas successfully, using the steam.
Fantastic dish! So flavorful and filling! I subbed out boneless thighs for bone-in since I had it on hand, and that helped the chicken stay juicy. I also used half-and-half to cut on calories and it didn’t lose out on the creaminess
hi heather! do you remember how much longer it took for bone-in vs boneless thighs? thanks!
Looks great, but recipe says 1 1/2 c orzo, but the picture version says 1/2 c?
Fixed! Thank you. xoxo -Monti
Tasty, easy meal. I used skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs and it still turned out well. If you have some roasted red peppers or sun dried tomatoes that can be stirred in at the end, it’s a great add.
Should it actually be 1.5 cups orzo? I used 1/2 cup orzo today and it turned out extremely soupy…
Harley, I am so sorry. You are correct, it is 1 1/2 cups of orzo. I second-guessed myself on an earlier comment and changed it. But then retested the whole thing again. With 1 1/2 cups of orzo and 1 1/2 cup broth, plus the 1/2 cup of cream and the chicken juices you get a nice creamy sauce. For a sauce that is a little looser and makes more of a risotto-style orzo, add an additional 1/2 cup of broth to the mix.
My package of chicken thighs was a little bigger (~1.9 lbs), so I added a little extra orzo and veggie broth. I also added cooked broccoli after the cream/butter/Parmesan, which was a perfect addition. The spices give it such good flavor and I love anything with orzo! This is definitely going in the rotation.
This was one of those afternoons where I arrived at the grocery store without a plan other than checking out the latest on Budget Bytes. I read the description and bought the orzo, chicken and cream (everything else I had on hand) and about an hour or so later dinner was on the table… and it was wonderful! The only remarkable things did were to use a tomato-based veggie stock block (Knor) and I also just dumped the butter, cream and parm on top of the finished pasta, covered for a few minutes (no heat) and stirred to combine. It’s not that I didn’t care my chicken didn’t stand out against the orzo.. I simply didn’t care to read the last couple directions. And it was fine.
Delicious flavor, but something is off with the liquid to orzo ratio. 1/2 cup orzo didn’t look like nearly as much as it does in the photos, and didn’t feel like enough for 4 servings when we ate it. Orzo is generally a 1:2 ratio, and this recipe is 1:3, which left the final dish very soupy. I’ll make it again but with a full cup of orzo!
Jess, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I second-guessed myself and changed the original recipe from 1 1/2 cups orzo to 1/2 cup when I read someone else’s comment. I read your comment and retested the whole recipe, and 1 1/2 cups of orzo is the right measurement. Orzo is usually a 1 to 2 ratio, but with the 1/2 cup of cream and the juices of the chicken, 1 1/2 cups orzo and 1 1/2 cups broth works. You can add 1/2 cup more of broth if you prefer a looser sauce. I did that and it was extra creamy. A million apologies. Thank you!
Thank you! I’ll make it again, because the flavor was definitely there! :)
Appreciate it! xoxo -Monti