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Win everyone over with One-Pan Marry Me Chicken Orzo! The recipe features tender chicken breasts cooked with orzo pasta in the most irresistible, creamy, sun-dried tomato sauce. It’s quick to make and never disappoints!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to Prepare: No complicated methods with this recipe! Everything comes together in one pan with very little effort.
- Loaded with Flavor: This meal is so flavorful and has the most wonderful texture. It will make you feel like you are eating at a fancy restaurant!
- A Family Favorite: Both kids and adults will love this dish! It’s one that you’ll make again and again.
- Minimal Cleanup: Cooking everything in one pan means less mess, and cleanup is a breeze.
Ingredients in This One-Pan Dish
This Marry Me Chicken Orzo recipe puts a delicious twist on the classic Marry Me Chicken. Each component makes this one-pan meal taste amazing. From well-seasoned chicken pieces to hearty orzo and a sauce that bursts with Tuscan flavors. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
- Chicken: You’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Salt & Pepper: Enhances all of the flavors.
- Olive Oil: For cooking the chicken.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic provides depth and complexity.
- Seasonings: A blend of paprika and dried Italian seasoning gives this dish a fabulous flavor.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Chopped sun-dried tomatoes add a sweet and tangy taste to every bite.
- Orzo: This is a type of pasta that resembles grains of rice but is a tad bit bigger. You can find orzo in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store.
- Chicken Broth: This will create the savory base of the sauce.
- Half and Half: Makes the sauce super creamy and rich.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds cheesy, nutty goodness! I recommend using freshly grated cheese if possible.
- Fresh Basil: Finishes the dish with color and herbal notes.
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Recipe
There’s a new Marry Me Chicken recipe in town, and this version with Orzo is sure to be a hit! It comes together so easily in one pan.
- Cook: Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Stir: Add the garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and sundried tomatoes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to infuse all the flavors.
- Simmer: Stir in the dry orzo pasta and chicken broth, then bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the orzo has softened.
- Combine: Pour in the half-and-half and stir to combine. The orzo will absorb the liquid quickly, so add more if needed.
- Melt and Wilt: Add the grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil, then stir to melt the cheese and wilt the basil. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if needed. Serve immediately!
Marry Me Orzo Tips and Variations
Use these simple tips and tricks to make sure your creamy Marry Me Chicken Orzo turns out perfectly!
- Half-and-Half: I found half-and-half or milk to be perfect in this recipe. As orzo pasta cooks, it helps to thicken the sauce. I didn’t think heavy cream was necessary for thickening, but feel free to use it for an extra-rich creamy sauce. Add a splash of half-and-half if the orzo absorbs too much of the liquid.
- Basil: Marry me inspired recipes are known for using basil. But, feel free to use spinach or arugula if you prefer! The added green is so pretty in this dish.
- Make it Spicy: Garnish with red pepper flakes before serving if you love heat like I do!
- Pan Size: Make sure your skillet is large enough to handle all the ingredients. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s a one pan dinner!
- Serve With: This dish is good enough to stand on its own. You could also make some broccoli, green beans, or asparagus on the side for your vegetable.
How to Store Leftovers
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they will keep for a few days and are great heated up for lunch, making it great for meal prep.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing.
- To Reheat: Heat individual potions in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of milk before warming if the orzo pasta has absorbed too much of the liquid.
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Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Win everyone over with One-Pan Marry Me Chicken Orzo! The recipe features tender chicken breasts cooked with orzo pasta in the most irresistible, creamy, sun-dried tomato sauce. It's quick to make and never disappoints!
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half, more if needed
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to infuse all the flavors.
- Stir in the orzo pasta and chicken broth, then bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the orzo has softened.
- Pour in the half-and-half and stir to combine. The orzo will absorb the liquid quickly, so add more if needed.
- Add the grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Stir to melt the cheese and wilt the basil. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately!
Nutrition
Calories: 636kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 55gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 1540mgPotassium: 1849mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 1147IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 364mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
Can this be made into a freezer meal?
Hi Randi, thank you for your question. I would add the boneless skinless chicken, salt, pepper, garlic paprika, Italian seasoning, and sun-dried tomatoes to a freezer bag, freeze the contents together so it freezes flat. When you are ready to cook, thaw it and cook it altogether in a pan according to the instructions. Use fresh half and half and chicken broth. OR freeze the whole finished meal in serving sizes of about 1 cup, reheat individual potions in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of milk before warming if the orzo pasta has absorbed too much of the liquid. Happy cooking!
Can I swap orzo pasta for white rice and cook for the same time ?
Hi Julie, thank you for your question. I believe regular rice will take longer to cook than orzo, and might require more liquid. Use the same method and keep extra broth handy to add when needed. Let me know how it turns out!
Can this be made in an electric skillet?
Hi Rhonda, that should work just fine! Let me know how it turns out!