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This One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo is the perfect winter dinner…quick, easy, hearty, and delicious! Pan-seared Italian seasoned chicken breasts in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce. Cooked together with orzo pasta for a complete dinner made in just ONE skillet. Truly one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next holiday dinner. You can’t go wrong with this warming skillet dinner.
It’s hard to believe that we’re entering the second week of December and are only just two and half weeks out from Christmas…and only three and half weeks from the New Year. Where is the time going!?
As I type this up I’m getting ready to take-off for NYC. By the time you all read this, I will be in the city. I have to say, I’m really excited for this trip, but equally excited to return home on Thursday, and finally be HOME for the remainder of the year. I know many of you travel for work weekly, but as you all know, I’m such a homebody at heart. So I’m excited to have some time to enjoy the remainder of December with my family. Anyone else in the same mindset?
With that in mind, I’m always looking for the easiest recipes this time of year. The days are incredibly short and things are busy between work and holiday prep. Quick and simple dinners that everyone at the dinner table will eat are what I strive to create.
Enter this skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo.
To make this all-in-one dinner…
Start with a skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe skillet or even dutch oven works great. You’ll want to season the chicken up with a few dried herbs and spices…oregano, paprika, and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Then sear the chicken until it’s golden.
PS. if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, check out the current Staub giveaway we’re hosting on Instagram!
Next up, remove the chicken from the skillet, add a bit of butter, plus some shallots, garlic, and orzo. I love toasting the dry orzo pasta in butter for additional flavor. The butter browns and the orzo takes on a delicious nutty flavor.
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Moving along, add a splash of white wine. Then add pretty much everything else. Cream, a little parmesan cheese, fresh spinach and of course sun-dried tomatoes. Slide the chicken right into the sauce, then transfer the whole skillet right to the oven. Bake for about ten to fifteen minutes…
And then? Dinner is done. Yes, this is that SIMPLE.
So how does it taste?
I know simple skillet dinners can get a bad rap for being boring, but this is anything but boring. The sauce is creamy, hinted with lemon, garlic, and just a touch buttery too. The orzo is perfectly cooked and has a little nutty flavor.
And the chicken has a wonderful herbed flavor with a bit of heat from the crushed red pepper. It’s everything you’d expect out of a multi-step recipe, but made all in one skillet…and all SO GOOD.
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete dinner all-in-one. You have your protein, your carbs, and even your vegetables. I can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for holiday dinners with friends and family. I’ll be remaking this as soon as I get home. My family members are slowly starting to make their way back to Colorado for Christmas, so this is going to be on repeat.
Looking for other one skillet dinner ideas…check out these.
If you make this one skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 530 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or small thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
- juice of 1 lemon
- fresh rosemary, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the same skillet, add the butter and shallot, cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo, cooking until lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cook 3-5 minutes, then add the cream, mustard, parmesan, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring until the spinach has wilted. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.4. Serve the chicken topped with lemon juice and rosemary, if desired.
This post was originally published on December 9, 2019
Hi Tieghan ! I was considering using rotini instead of orzo, which I can’t find anywhere. Do you recommend boiling pasta first then adding to the dish, or cooking it in the pan like the orzo ? I also planned on using frozen spinach, but I’m afraid it’ll release too much water and soak the dish. Should I sauté the spinach in a separate pan, drain it, then add it to the skillet ?
Hey Laura,
As far as the pasta I would recommend using a smaller noodle like a macaroni and then you can follow the recipe as is. For the spinach, I would let it thaw, squeeze out the extra liquid and then add to the dish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I love this recipe, so much so that I am making it for my wedding this August. I plan to make it a few days in advance and heat it up on the day served with a salad and fresh bread. Do you have any recommendations for a summery salad that would pair well with this meal? Also, do you have any reheating recommendations?
Your big fan,
Gail
Hey Gail!! For a salad, what about my watermelon and tomato salad? Or peach salad? Links below!
I would reheat in the oven at 350 for 20 or so minutes, until warmed throughout. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
https://fett-weg.today/melon-basil-burrata-salad/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
https://fett-weg.today/greek-watermelon-feta-salad/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
https://fett-weg.today/peach-caprese-salad/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
https://fett-weg.today/super-green-sun-dried-tomato-herb-salad/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This was delicious! I love this flavor combo and of course orzo is amazing.
Thank you Emily! xTieghan
Hi- I want to make this recipe however, I don’t cook with alcohol. What can I substitute the white wine for?
Thank you!
Hi Fatima,
You can use chicken broth in place of the white wine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love this recipe. Fourth time I have made it and it just gets better. All my guests love it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Tracy!! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
Made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! I added in some cremini mushrooms and used mozzarella instead of parmesan cheese. Everyone had seconds – this will be in our dinner rotation for sure. Thanks for the great recipe!
Wow that is so great! Thank you so much Saya! xTieghan
I made this and loved it. Used boneless breasts. Diced the tomatoes and warmed the chicken in oven while preparing other steps. It was delicious, and leftovers were too.
Amazing! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Cynthia! xTieghan
I made this and loved it. Diced the tomatoes and warmed the chicken in oven while preparing other steps. It was delicious, and leftovers were too.
Thank you so much Cynthia! xTieghan
We have a french au pair and she thought this was the best thing she’s eaten in the states. I loved it because the prep and cook times were spot on, it could be made in one skillet! it looked good and it tasted special. And the small kids devoured it too. This is great for family dinner or to have for company. A perfect recipe in my book!
Wow that is so amazing! I am really glad you all enjoyed this recipe, Miller! Thank you! xTieghan
Made a variation of this tonight that still turned out delish – I used cubed up leftover roast turkey! Added a little extra water, some blended diced tomatoes as I didn’t have sun-dried on hand, and kale rather than spinach, also on hand. Delicious, and my daughter loved it too! Only 10 min in the oven as I didn’t want it to get too dried out. Ended up like a creamy casserole!
Aw that is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much for trying this one, Karyn! xTieghan
Fantastic recipe Tieghan, Thank You!
I made this for my wife (for her birthday) and our son and they loved it.
Will be making this again, and also trying a few of your others.
Cheers!
Bradley
Thank you so much Bradley! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was really really delicous and super easy to make! My only critique of it is that, unless this is served alongside something else (like a big salad or some bread) I’d say this is more like a “serves 3-4” rather than “serves 6”.
Thank you so much Amy! xTieghan
Another AMAZING recipe!! I cannot tell you how blown away I am that you use simple ingredients, and a lot of the time it’s the same ones in multiple recipes. HOWEVER, each recipe tastes wildly different! How do you do that?! This recipe is by far a new family favorite. My kids love, what they call, “pasta-rice” now (Orzo). The only tweak I made was that I added while sprigs of rosemary to the orzo, while cooking, and removed them before serving. Excellent!!
Haha I just use my favorite ingredients! I am so glad you all enjoyed this one! And pasta rice.. so cute!! Thank you! xTieghan
Yummy! I made this tonight with 2 lbs of chicken breast, which was 5 breast pieces. (No way is 1 lb of chicken 6 servings as the recipe states.) It took 20 min to finish in the oven. I used whole milk instead of cream, and deglazed with chicken stock instead of wine. I didn’t like how the spinach lost it’s bright green color in the oven. Consider wilting it in the hot pan after finishing the chicken in the oven. I am glad I prepared another cup of orzo with wilted spinach on the stove, the yummy orzo in the pan wasn’t enough for 4 people without it. I will make it again – perhaps will butterfly the breasts and finish covered on the stovetop.
I made this tonight with 2 lbs of chicken breast, which was 5 breast pieces. It took 20 min in the oven to cook. I used whole milk instead of cream, and deglazed with chicken stock instead of wine. I didn’t like how the spinach lost it’s bright green color in the oven. Consider wilting it in the hot pan with after finishing the chicken in the oven. Or skipping the oven altogether, and do entirely on stovetop. I am glad I prepared another cup of orzo with wilted spinach on the stove, the yummy orzo in the pan wasn’t enough for 4 people without it. I will make it again – perhaps butterflying the breast’s and finishing covered on the stovetop.
Hi! I am really happy to hear that this recipe turned out well for you! Please let me know if there are any questions I can help you with! xTieghan