Chicken and Orzo Skillet is a quick and easy dinner, made using just one skillet, and ready in 30 minutes. Moist chicken is combined with garlic, onion, tomatoes, spinach, and orzo to give you a well-rounded meal with little cleanup. Believe me, this is one meal everyone will be asking for seconds!
Orzo Chicken
I love quick and easy dinners. I don't care who you are, 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 they're there to remind you that they want to eat.
I have a list of my go-to favorites, like my 30-minute Taco Pasta, Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan, and this Chicken and Orzo Skillet, that I always fall back on when in need. Which seems to be pretty often these days.
What is orzo?
I know, you're probably wondering what in the world is orzo! Orzo is actually 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.
I love the simplicity of this orzo chicken dish and, 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.
Variations & Tips
- Had enough chicken? Switch it out for Italian sausage or even shrimp.
- 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.
- 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.
- One big tip - use freshly grated parmesan as it melts much better than packaged grated cheese. It also provides the best flavor.
How to make Garlic Chicken and Orzo Skillet
- 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. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheats so well no one will know it's leftovers. Enjoy!
More easy skillet dinners
Italian Pork Chops with tomato basil sauce.
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!
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
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 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
- Had enough chicken? Switch it out for Italian sausage or even shrimp.
- 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.
- 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.
- One big tip - use freshly grated parmesan as it melts much better than packaged grated cheese. It also provides the best flavor.
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on March 4, 2018.
I definitely will be making this one again. Fresh simple and great!
Yay! So glad you liked it. It's one of our favorites too!
Turned out Delicious!!!!!!!
Yay! One of my favorite quick and easy dinners too!
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!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
I know the feeling! lol Hope y'all enjoy.