Tuscan Chicken Orzo (Printable Page)

A luscious one-pan Italian dish featuring tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and orzo in a rich, creamy sauce.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - Coat chicken pieces evenly 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. Remove 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
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 skillet. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until orzo is tender and sauce has thickened
08 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts and cheese melts completely. Adjust consistency with additional broth or water if needed
09 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add red pepper flakes if desired
10 - Transfer to serving dishes while hot. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet so you spend less time cleaning and more time eating
  • The sauce naturally thickens as the orzo cooks, creating the most velvety texture without any fancy techniques
  • Sun-dried tomatoes add this concentrated burst of umami that makes the whole dish taste like it simmered for hours
02 -
  • The sauce thickens rapidly once it's off the heat, so if it looks too thin while simmering, give it another minute or two—don't panic and add more liquid too soon
  • Spinach releases water as it wilts, which can thin your sauce slightly, so always add it at the very end when the sauce is already your desired consistency
03 -
  • Save the oil from your sun-dried tomatoes jar—drizzle a tablespoon over the finished dish for an extra punch of flavor
  • If you meal prep, the sauce thickens significantly in the fridge, so add a splash of broth when reheating
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