Meats

Creamy Chicken Orzo

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken breast, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (leave out to keep it mild)
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • Salt & black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta
  • 6-7 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • A handful of spinach
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

  • Season the diced chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until softened, then stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook until fragrant.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook a couple of minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down.
  • Stir in the orzo and toast for a minute, then pour in the chicken broth. Simmer, stirring often, until the orzo is nearly tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 8-10 minutes.
  • Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan until creamy. Return the chicken to the pan, fold in the spinach, and cook until the spinach wilts and the orzo is tender.
  • Season to taste, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve.

Tender chicken and orzo in a creamy tomato-Parmesan sauce: a comforting one-pan weeknight dinner. The red pepper flakes are optional, so leave them out to keep it kid-friendly. Method reconstructed from the ingredient list (the caption listed ingredients only). Via Instagram (Secrets of Liya).