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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
I’ve made this recipe twice already! It is delicious! if you love dijon I recommend adding more for that extra zing. I do not have a cast iron so I transferred my dish into a baking dish and it still came out perfectly.
I am really glad you have been loving this recipe, Victor! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This recipe has so much flavor!! Another keeper recipe. Sooo delicious!
Thank you so much Jessica! xTieghan
So delicious! Creamy comfort food. Love one skillet meals.
Thank you Sarah! xTieghan
This was the most flavorful dish I’ve made in a long time! Followed the recipe exactly as written and it came out perfectly! My husband and I are looking forward to putting this into the rotation as a regular.
Thank you so much Christa! I am so happy this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Love this dish So creamy so easy with everything in one pan Another winner I always post the recipes I make on Facebook Lets just say your fan base is increasing Well deserved
Thank you so much Marie!! xTieghan
This is one of my most favorite meals, I love all the flavor cozy notes
Thank you Natasha! xTieghan
I just made this, and it was excellent!!! So flavorful. I used low sodium chicken broth in place of water because I had some in the fridge. I also used half and half in place of heavy cream because I bought the wrong thing at the store. Everything about it was perfect, and I will definitely be making again.
Thank you so much Emily! xTieghan
Wow!! I had everything I needed for this recipe except sun dried tomatoes (why can’t they be in the same place in every store???). Added mushrooms but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Perfect! I live alone and cook on Sundays for at least three upcoming meals. This dish (I used a pound of bone-in chicken thighs) made 3.5 proportionately appropriate meals. Served with roasted carrots. Delish.
Hi Eed! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I am amazed that I have been able to make this recipe and have it come out so perfectly, Tieghan’s instructions just made it so easy to make a success of this recipe. Even cooking in the pan this looked like a professional chef was cooking! The only problem was that a lot of the Parmesan cheese stuck to the pan, so the second time I made it I added the cheese just before serving and stirred it gently into the orzo.
Wow so happy to hear how well this turned out for you, Colleen! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
Made this tonight after hearing non stop hype about it and it far exceeded my expectations! Used coconut milk and it was creamy and delish. Also quite easy to make. Obsessed!!!
Thank you so much Brittany! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi! This dish looks amazing. Do you think I could substitute the heavy cream for half and half?
Hey Sarah,
Yes that will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can I transfer this into a deep 9 x 13 baking pan if I don’t have a iron skillet or Dutch oven?
Hey Steph,
Yes that will absolutely work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
my all time favorite HBH recipe- have made many times and shared recipe with family/friends. love!!
Thank you Shannon! xTieghan
Hi, this looks amazing! Could this recipe be made in advance and kept warm in the oven or would it dry out too much with the orzo?
Hey Desiree,
Unfortunately this isn’t a recipe that I would recommend making in advance. You could assemble in advance, but I would bake when you are ready to eat. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
So so good. Incredible flavor. MINIMAL CLEAN UP. The mustard and the tomatoes just shine in this. Mine wasn’t as beautiful as these photos but what else is new. I can’t wait to make again
Thank you so much Margaret! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan