Creamy Chicken Orzo

Creamy Chicken Orzo is a cozy one-skillet dinner with tender chicken, baby spinach, and orzo pasta in a rich, cheesy sauce. It’s quick to make, easy to clean up, and delivers a complete meal with protein, carbs, and veggies.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick comfort food – Ready in about 30 minutes, perfect for busy nights.
• Easy skillet meal – Just two pans, simple steps, and minimal cleanup.
• Creamy and satisfying – Loaded with juicy chicken, tender orzo, and a rich cheese sauce.
• Customizable to your taste – Easily swap in different veggies or proteins to suit your preferences.

Ingredients Notes

• Orzo pasta – Swap with ditalini, arborio rice, or pearl couscous (adjust cooking time as needed)
• Olive oil – Or use butter for a richer flavor
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Use chicken thighs for juicier meat or cooked rotisserie chicken for convenience
• Salt and black pepper – Plus extra salt for the pasta water
• Unsalted butter – Or more olive oil if preferred
• Sweet yellow onion – Any mild onion can be used
• Minced garlic – Or ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a pinch
• Chicken broth – Use low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth for a lighter option
• Spices: Dried mustard, sweet paprika, ground thyme – Use Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, or Italian seasoning as swaps
• Condensed cheddar cheese soup – Or homemade cheese sauce (melt shredded cheddar with milk)
• Whole milk – Substitute half & half or heavy cream; thin with broth if needed
• Baby spinach – Kale, arugula, mushrooms, or bell peppers also work well
• Optional garnish – Fresh or dried parsley

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Orzo

1. Prepare the pasta: Boil orzo in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cool water, and set aside.
2. Cook the chicken: In a large skillet, heat olive oil, season chicken with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown and no longer pink. Remove and set aside, leaving the juices in the pan.
3. Build the flavor base: Lower the heat, add butter, onions, and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, then stir in chicken broth, dried mustard, paprika, and thyme. Simmer briefly.
4. Make the sauce: Pour in the condensed cheddar soup and milk, stirring until smooth and creamy.
5. Combine everything: Stir in the orzo, cooked chicken, and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts and everything is heated through. Garnish with parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding ¼ cup chicken broth to loosen the sauce. Or microwave covered in 30–45 second intervals, stirring in between and adding a splash of broth or milk if needed to maintain creaminess.
• Freeze: Not recommended, as the creamy sauce and pasta may separate or become grainy after thawing.

More Easy Skillet and Pasta Dinner Recipes

• One Pot Easy Chili Mac
• One Pot Spaghetti Recipe
• Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Pot Pie Noodles
• One-Pot Chicken and Rice

If you’ve tried this Creamy Chicken Orzo Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Chicken Orzo

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 4

Creamy Chicken Orzo is a one-skillet dinner made with tender chicken, spinach, and orzo pasta in a rich, cheesy sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

• ▢ ½ pound orzo pasta
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into ¾ inch pieces, patted dry
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt plus more for the pasta water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ ⅓ cup sweet yellow onion small diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ ½ cup chicken broth
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried mustard
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
• ▢ 21 ounce condensed cheddar cheese soup undiluted
• ▢ ¼ cup whole milk
• ▢ ½ cup chopped baby spinach stems removed, lightly packed
• ▢ chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes optional garnish

Instructions

 

• Cook the orzo pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water (according to package directions) for 9-11 minutes or until al dente. Drain, rinse under cool water and set aside.
  ½ pound orzo pasta
• Preheat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for 7-9 minutes or until lightly golden and no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the skillet, place onto a clean plate and set aside.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Turn down the temperature of the burner to medium low, add the butter, onions, and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes or just until tender and fragrant.
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup sweet yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Add the chicken broth, dried mustard, sweet paprika, and ground thyme to the onions. Stir together and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or just until the broth starts to simmer.
  ½ cup chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon dried mustard, ⅛ teaspoon sweet paprika, ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
• Add the cheddar cheese soup and whole milk, stirring until the sauce is smooth.
  21 ounce condensed cheddar cheese soup, ¼ cup whole milk
• Stir in the reserved orzo pasta until fully coated in the cheese sauce. Add the chicken and spinach, stirring just until combined. Let it cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or just until the spinach has completely wilted into the cheese sauce.
  chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes, ½ cup chopped baby spinach
• Remove from the heat and serve immediately with a light garnish of parsley if desired.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage :

• Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm gently in skillet over medium-low, adding ¼ cup chicken broth to loosen sauce.
• Freeze: Not recommended due to texture changes.

Tips: 

• Stir orzo frequently while boiling to prevent clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Toast the orzo in olive oil or butter before boiling to add a subtle, nutty flavor.
• If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it with a splash of broth or milk.
• Use room temperature butter and milk for a smoother, more even sauce.
• Let the dish rest for 2–3 minutes off the heat to allow the flavors to meld.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1326mg | Potassium: 1298mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1219IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg

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