Creamy Chicken Orzo

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This Creamy Chicken Orzo dish is so quick and easy to make. It uses simple everyday ingredients and one pot to make the most comforting dish!

I love comfort food when the weather starts to cool off! We often enjoy this Slow Cooker Pot Roast and we love these Pork Chops in Mushroom Gravy. And cooler weather always puts me in the mood to bake all the desserts, lol!

Hands holding a bowl of chicken orzo with a spoon in it.

This creamy chicken orzo is a bowl of goodness and is my kind of dinner recipe! It checks all the boxes and my whole family loves it.

Reasons why you will love this comforting dish:

  1. It’s made all in one pot! Yep, no piles of dirty dishes after this meal!
  2. It can be on your table in 30 minutes or less
  3. Doesn’t require any hard to find ingredients but uses pantry and freezer staples instead
  4. It’s a comforting dish that is easy enough for a weeknight meal
Ingredients prepped in bowls.

Ingredients:

As mentioned before there will be no hard to find ingredients here. Just simple food you probably already have in your pantry or freezer.

Things like chicken breast, chicken broth, fresh veggies, Parmesan, and a little cream to make it extra decadent because who says we can’t be a little fancy on a Wednesday night!

Four pictures showing the steps to make this comforting dish.

How to cook this easy orzo dish

Most people think of orzo being used in soups and light and fresh pasta salads. But making it all in one pot and letting it simmer creates a nice silky, creamy, dreamy, almost risotto like dish.

  1. Cooking the chicken and veggies: I am using chicken breast and slicing it into small bite sized pieces. I like to do this because it cooks so much faster. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead. I am using the standard carrots, celery, onion, and garlic here but feel free to use whatever you like. Oh, and I threw in some peas at the end!
  2. Add the pasta and broth and simmer until the orzo is al dente. This takes about 15ish minutes. Stir a few times to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Stir in the cream, cheese, peas, and parsley.
  4. Enjoy!
Finished orzo dish served in a bowl.

Serving Suggestions:

While this can certainly be a stand alone meal feel free to add any of the following:

Top down image of orzo being served in a dark blue bowl and garnished with black pepper and parsley.

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Top down image of orzo being served in a dark blue bowl and garnished with black pepper and parsley.

Creamy Chicken Orzo

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 30 minute chicken dinner, chicken orzo
This Creamy Chicken Orzo dish is so quick and easy to make. It uses simple everyday ingredients and one pot to make the most comforting dish!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 one cup servings (about)
Calories: 386kcal
Author: Malinda Linnebur
Print Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken broth/stock
  • 1 pound (454g) orzo
  • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (60g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup (60g) frozen peas
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and chicken. Cook until onion is soft (about 5-7 minutes).
  • Add the chicken stock and orzo. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until orzo is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir until cheese is melted and well combined. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Taste, and if it is a little bland, add a little more salt and or fresh lemon juice. 
  2. Will thicken as it cools. 
Serving Suggestions:

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3mg

24 thoughts on “Creamy Chicken Orzo”

  1. 5 stars
    I apologize if I’m commenting again on this recipe, but can’t remember if I did the first time LOL! This recipe was so good and comfort food at its BEST!! Lunch, dinner, doesn’t matter, heat it up and you’ve got yourself a great meal with your protein, carb & veggies all in one pot! Made it for my 92 year old mother and she loved it! New Years Day she’ll be 93 and I’m making it for her again!!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!! Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • No worries at all! I love getting comments! I am so glad your mother enjoyed the orzo and tell her Happy Belated Birthday!!!

      Reply
  2. 4 stars
    I made this recipe today. I am dairy free and didn’t add the heavy cream. It was plenty soupy and didn’t need any more liquid. We don’t like peas, so substituted spinach instead. For the Parmesan cheese, I used nutritional yeast instead. I think if I make it again, I will add some lemon like some people said. It was a little bland.

    Reply
  3. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! I followed the recipe as instructed but omitted the peas and carrots. I added steamed broccoli and juice of one lemon to it at the end.
    YUM 😋

    Reply

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