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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
Delicious! One tip – use half the juice of a lemon versus whole. We served with warm homemade breadsticks. It was a hit and easy!
Ooo yum!! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you, Katherine! xTieghan
SO good!! I’m making this weekly it’s so good! I had a question about the replacement of heavy whipping cream! I’ve read the comments about coconut milk can – does that change the flavor? I’m new to the whole sub dairy thing, but needing to. Is the coconut flavor very strong? I’m nervous to try if it is!
Hey Erika,
I am so glad you have been enjoying this recipe! Honestly with all of the other flavors you really cannot taste the coconut:) Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s a huge family hit! Both times I’ve made it though I lose the creaminess after baking in the oven. There seems to be hardly any sauce left and it’s oily instead of creamy like in your photos. Any thoughts on what I’m doing wrong? Maybe the oven temp is too high or I’m baking for too long? Thanks for your help and all the awesome recipes!
Hey Olivia,
So sorry you are having issues with the creaminess. Are you adjusting the recipe at all? If you feel like it is over-baking, try reducing the baking time next round. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have some the julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes – i.e. not in oil – that I’d like to use up. Should I make any changes or rehydrate them to use in this recipe?
Hey Ruth,
Those should be fine to use as is. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this recipe a few nights ago for a friend and I, and it was INSANELY good!! The chicken turned out so juicy and the orzo was covered in that delicious sauce. Amazing!!
Thank you so much Jordan! xTieghan
Any chance you have freezing instructions? Looking to bring this to a friend who recently had a baby and they may eat right away or freeze. thank you!
Hey Alexa,
I honestly don’t think this would be the best meal to freeze, the orzo could easily become mushy when reheating. I would suggest a lasagna or soup! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Definitely a hit!! It was my first time to cook orzo. I look forward to trying it other ways too!! Great recipe! <3
Thank you so much Sarah! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
Hi tieghan! I can’t find orzo anywhere. If I use medium shells instead, do I need to precook the pasta before adding to the dish or just follow the recipe as is?
Hey KL,
I think you would get the best results by using a smaller cut pasta, like elbows, and you can just follow the recipe as directed. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have made this recipe so many times now that I have It memorized. I tell everyone about this one!! So easy, so delicious. It is a weekly staple in our home!!
Thank you so much Natalie! I am so happy to hear that!! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it is always amazing. The hint of Dijon mustard is just delish. I only had arugula and threw that in instead of spinach and it was super tasty! Also didn’t have heavy cream but did have my “nutpods” which is a dairy free creamer.. couldn’t even taste the difference and was still super creamy. I think within the next few months I’ll be able to make this without looking at the recipe bc I want to make it so much!!
Thank you so much Kelsey! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This is my all-time FAVORITE HBH recipe – and I’ve made 50+ HBH recipes, so I really mean it! One time I made it, I did throw in some artichoke that I had leftover in the fridge and it didn’t take away from the recipe. This is an absolute go-to in my house!
Thank you so much Christina!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
My daughter made this for me last weekend, and I loved it so much that I made it again tonight. This is the most flavorful dish ever! She used coconut milk instead of heavy cream because she doesn’t do much dairy, and it was perfect. I’ve also been wading my way through your cookbooks, received 2 as birthday gifts. Everything I’ve made so far has been a winner:)
That is so great! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Stella! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
I just put all the ingredients in the crockpot except the spinach.I will add it at the end of cooking . I’m cleaning out a bedroom all day. Dinner will be ready when I’m done.
Aw that is so perfect!! I hope this is amazing for you, Tina! Thank you! xTieghan
This dish is absolutely fantastic and is sure to become one of our main “comfort food” dishes we keep on rotation. I wouldn’t change a thing about this–the flavors meld perfectly!
Thank you so much Kat! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Absolutely incredible! I didn’t have any wine on hand like I thought I did so I just substituted chicken broth for both the wine and the water. Absolutely fabulous! My husband loved it and it will be added to our rotation for certain!
Love to hear that! Thank you for trying this one, Jen! xTieghan