Description
This Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Orzo is a creamy, one-skillet dinner featuring perfectly seared chicken breasts, toasted orzo pasta, and a luscious Parmesan cream sauce studded with tangy sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach. The dish comes together in just 30 minutes with minimal cleanup, making it perfect for busy weeknights. The orzo is toasted before simmering in the sauce, giving it incredible nutty flavor, while finishing in the oven ensures perfectly cooked chicken and a bubbly, golden sauce.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
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1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or small thighs)
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon paprika
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¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
For the Orzo & Sauce:
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 medium shallot, chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced (or grated)
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1 cup dry orzo pasta
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⅓ cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
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1 cup heavy cream
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2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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2 cups fresh baby spinach
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½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained)
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Juice of 1 lemon
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Fresh rosemary or other herbs for serving (optional)
Instructions
Get your oven heating to 400°F before you do anything else. While that’s going pat your chicken really dry with paper towels—I know this seems picky and unnecessary but wet chicken will not brown properly, it’ll just sort of steam and stay pale. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil all over it and rub your seasonings in. All the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, and be generous with salt and pepper. Like more than you think. Chicken needs a lot of seasoning or it’s bland.
Heat your skillet over medium-high until it’s really hot and add the rest of your olive oil. When it starts moving around the pan easily and shimmering, add your chicken. Now comes the hardest part of this entire recipe—leave it completely alone for 3-5 minutes. Do not poke it. Do not check it. Do not flip it early. Just walk away. That’s how you get that gorgeous golden brown crust instead of pale sad steamed chicken. Flip it one time and give it another 3-5 minutes on the other side. It’s not gonna be cooked all the way through yet and that’s completely on purpose. Take it out and put it on a plate.
Whatever you do don’t wipe out that skillet! All the flavor from the chicken is stuck to the bottom and you need it. Drop your butter in there along with the chopped shallot and cook for a few minutes until it smells so good you start getting actually hungry. Add your garlic and orzo and keep stirring pretty much constantly for 2-3 minutes. The orzo should turn golden brown and start smelling nutty. This is the magic step that makes this recipe different from every other pasta dish.
Pour the wine right in and immediately start scraping the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon. See all those brown crusty bits coming up? That’s not burnt food or something you did wrong—that’s concentrated chicken flavor and it’s about to make your sauce incredible. Let it bubble away for about a minute while you keep scraping.
Dump in your cream, Dijon, freshly grated Parmesan, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes all at once. Stir it all together until the spinach wilts down and the cheese melts into the cream. It’s gonna look thin and liquidy right now. Like really liquidy. Don’t freak out. The orzo absorbs a ton of liquid while it bakes and it thickens up beautifully.
Take your seared chicken and nestle it right back into the skillet, pushing it down into the orzo mixture. Spoon some of that creamy sauce over the top so it doesn’t dry out while it’s baking. I usually make sure each piece is at least partially covered.
Stick the entire skillet in the oven without any lid or foil or anything for 10-15 minutes. Your chicken needs to hit 165°F on a meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part and the sauce should be bubbling around the edges. If your chicken breasts are really thick like those massive ones from Costco they might need an extra few minutes.
Pull it out of the oven using potholders on both hands because that handle will absolutely destroy your palm if you forget. I’ve done this probably five times and still occasionally grab it without thinking. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the entire thing and toss on some herbs if you have them. If you don’t have herbs skip it, still delicious.
Notes
Don’t crowd the pan when searing your chicken—if the pieces are touching, they’ll steam instead of sear. If your skillet isn’t big enough, sear in batches. When toasting the orzo, keep it moving! It can go from golden to burnt quickly. If your sauce looks too thick after baking, stir in a splash of chicken broth or pasta water. Conversely, if it’s too thin, let it sit for 5 minutes—the orzo will continue absorbing liquid.
Blot your sun-dried tomatoes with paper towels before adding them. They’re packed in oil, and too much oil can make your sauce greasy instead of creamy. If you’re using chicken thighs instead of breasts, they might need an extra 3–5 minutes in the oven since they’re fattier and take longer to reach 165°F.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: Italian-American