Tuscan Chicken Orzo (Printable)

One-pan Italian dish with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and orzo in a luscious creamy sauce. Serves 4.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
08 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
09 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Orzo & Sauce

10 - 1 cup orzo pasta
11 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves for serving
16 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside
03 - In the same skillet, add diced onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant
04 - Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute to release flavors
05 - Add orzo pasta and stir well to coat thoroughly with oil and aromatics
06 - Pour in chicken broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low
07 - Add heavy cream and return cooked chicken to the skillet. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until orzo is tender and sauce thickens
08 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts and cheese melts. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth or water
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired
10 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means you can spend less time washing dishes and more time enjoying dinner
  • The sauce clings to every tiny piece of orzo, creating these incredibly creamy bites of pasta that taste like they simmered all day
02 -
  • The sauce continues thickening as it sits, so do not panic if it looks slightly thin when you first turn off the heat
  • Stirring frequently toward the end of cooking prevents the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan
03 -
  • Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil add both flavor and richness, so do not drain them too thoroughly
  • Taste your sauce before adding the final spinach because some brands of sun-dried tomatoes are saltier than others
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