Chicken and Orzo Skillet is a quick and easy dinner, made in one pan, and ready in 30 minutes. Moist chicken is combined with spinach, tomatoes, and orzo to give you a well-rounded meal with little cleanup. Believe me, this is one dinner everyone will be asking for seconds!
Table of Contents
Quick and Easy Meal
I am so in love with quick and easy dinners! 'Cause if you're like me, spending time in the kitchen after a hectic day is not what you want to do. Am I right? Plus, if you have kids and a hungry husband waiting they're there to remind you that they want to eat.
Here are some of my go-to favorites that I fall back on when needed: 30-minute Taco Pasta, Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan, Alice Springs Chicken Recipe (Outback copycat), and this Chicken and Orzo Skillet, which seems to happen pretty often these days.
Why You'll Love This Recipe for Chicken Orzo
You will love the simplicity of this orzo chicken dish. Except for the orzo which can be made ahead of time, it only dirties one skillet. Hallelujah!
It's also a relatively light dish, even with the pasta, so it's perfect for any time of year. Plus it provides both protein and a serving of vegetables for a complete meal.
There are lots of ways to customize this dish to fit your taste preferences. Make it creamy, cheesier, or with other veggies. See the Recipe Variations section below.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a small cut pasta, also known as risoni, that is shaped like long grain rice. It cooks up quickly and tends to take on the flavor of whatever is cooking. Use it as pasta or as a substitute for rice in most dishes.
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make this orzo chicken skillet. The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
- Uncooked Orzo
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Fresh Spinach
- Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley
- Fresh Garlic - use as much or as little as you like.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
- Parmesan Cheese - purchase a block of fresh parmesan, not pre-grated or shredded, for the best flavor and ease of melting.
How to Make Chicken Orzo Skillet
Here are the simple steps for making one pot chicken and orzo with spinach and tomatoes:
- Brown the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and add to skillet.
- Brown chicken until cooked through.
- Add tomatoes and parsley to cooked chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Continue to simmer and add spinach. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
- Finish with cooked orzo and grated parmesan cheese and continue to simmer until cheese has melted.
Ready to serve right out of the skillet. No need to dirty another dish! Just look at all that deliciousness in one bite! This chicken and orzo is such an easy dinner and cleanup is a breeze. It's great for the whole family or just for two.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Had enough chicken? Switch it out for Italian sausage or shrimp.
- Prefer chicken thighs? Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. Note that you'll need to cook it a few minutes longer.
- Love chicken sausage? Use it instead of chicken breast.
- Don't like spicy? Leave out the red pepper flakes for a milder version perfect for kids.
- Love garlic? Add as much or as little as you like.
- Want it extra cheesy? As soon as you remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top, cover it with a lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Want it creamy? Stir in up to 1 cup of heavy cream in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Not a fan of spinach? Add chopped broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus.
- You can even make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding tofu or chickpeas.
- Cooking orzo in chicken broth will enhance the chicken flavor in the dish.
- One big tip - use freshly grated parmesan as it melts much better than packaged grated cheese. It also provides the best flavor.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
This chicken orzo dinner reheats so well that no one will know it's leftovers.
Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking it. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Reheat it in a covered pan over medium-low heat until heated through. You may need to add a little broth or water if it seems dry due to the orzo soaking up the liquid. Or microwave on HIGH in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment.
When reheating food, make sure the internal temperature is at least 165°F.
More Easy Skillet Dinners
Italian Pork Chops with tomato basil sauce.
French Onion Chicken Skillet - like French onion soup you can cut with a fork!
Chicken Tortellini Skillet with tomatoes, peas, and lots of cheese.
One Skillet Chicken with lemon sauce
Want more? Find more easy chicken recipes here on 2CM!
LOVE QUICK & EASY RECIPES? FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, & PINTEREST FOR ALL THE LATEST RECIPE INSPIRATION! PLUS JOIN MY EMAIL LIST AND RECEIVE A FREE E-BOOK.
Chicken and Orzo Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 large tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated + additional for garnish
Instructions
- Cook orzo to al dente stage according to package directions. Drain and reserve. (Cook while preparing remainder of meal)
- Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Saute onion for about 5 minutes or until soft & translucent.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another 1 minute.
- Season chicken with salt & pepper and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
- Add to skillet and cook about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes and parsley and cook 5 minutes.
- Add spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Add orzo and cheese and cook until cheese is melted.
- Add orzo and cheese and cook until cheese is melted (about 1 minute).
- Serve with additional Parmesan on the side.
Notes
- Switch the chicken out for Italian sausage or even shrimp.
- Leave out the red pepper flakes for a milder version perfect for kids.
- Switch the spinach for chopped broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus.
- Omit the chicken and add tofu or chickpeas for a vegetarian meal.
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on March 4, 2018.
Bradley says
I love this recipe and I make several variations of it. I love adding extra cheese and changing up the veggie. Thank you for this great recipe.
Linda Warren says
You're so welcome! So glad you enjoyed it. And I agree, everything is always better with more cheese! 🙂
Greg Divine says
Absolutely delicious! I did a tweak to the recipe in the tomato department. My wife tossed out the last of my grape tomatoes I was planning on using and I was out of fire roasted tomatoes in the can . I did have and always do a jar of sun dried tomatoes in olive oil & Italian seasoning and wow ! Next time I’ll be sure have fresh tomatoes on hand to make the recipe as you made it . There will absolutely be many next time on this one . Already added to my favorites. Tomatoes, spinach, garlic , orzo and chicken I knew this recipe had to be great . Many of my favorite things. Thank you for sharing it with us .
Linda Warren says
You are so welcome. It's one of my favorites too. Glad you enjoyed it.
LB says
Is there any way I could sub a can of (drained) fire roasted diced tomatoes for the fresh ones? Thank you!
Linda Warren says
I have never tried this recipe with canned tomatoes but one 14.5-ounce can, drained bur reserved in case you need more liquid, should work just fine. Let me know how it turns out.
LB says
100% recommend for anyone who doesn’t have fresh tomatoes on hand and still wants to make this recipe. I specifically used fire-roasted since I know they have more flavor and I honestly don’t know if I’d make it with regular tomatoes now! Haha.
Linda Warren says
Thanks for letting me know how well it works with canned tomatoes. I love the fire-roasted variety myself and I can imagine how much flavor it adds to this recipe. Total yum!
L hooper says
I definitely will be making this one again. Fresh simple and great!
Linda Warren says
Yay! So glad you liked it. It's one of our favorites too!
Joannnie says
Turned out Delicious!!!!!!!
Linda Warren says
Yay! One of my favorite quick and easy dinners too!
Jodi says
I love chicken orzo with spinach so I am excited to switch it up with the tomatoes! It says 403 cal, do you know the serving size per 403 cal? I am eating in a calorie deficit so this would be helpful. Thanks!!
Linda Warren says
The 403 calories is 1/4 of the entire recipe resulting in approximately 1/4 cup orzo, 1/2 chicken breast, 1 tomato, 1/2 cup spinach leaves, about 1-1/2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Hope that helps.
De says
This was delicious. I love the tiny kick it has. I put in a bit of chicken brothe in the dish to help with reheating the orzo so it doesn’t dry out.
Linda Warren says
So glad you liked it! It's the perfect dish for a cold night. Great idea to add more broth for reheating. I often do that so I can have it for lunch the next day.
Dawn Conklin says
Will have to try this chicken and orzo dish soon - probably in a couple days as I have dinner planned out (not that it works out as planned all the time haha!) This looks so delicious and I always love simple dishes to make.
Linda Warren says
I know the feeling! lol Hope y'all enjoy.