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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
Another great recipe. Made this for dinner and didn’t have orzo so I used barley and used the same timings and it came out delicious. Thank you
Hey Christina,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious! Loving these recipes 🙂
Thank you Janine! xTieghan
Your food blog and recipes are hands down, my FAVORITE! I’ve yet to make anything you’ve posted, that wasn’t amazingly delicious without being too time consuming! I made this chicken orzo skillet dig last night and it will be a new household favorite for a long time! I added mushrooms (same time as the sundrieds) and used bone in quarters instead of breast’s (as that’s what I had). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You are my go to foodie!
You are too kind! I am really glad you have been enjoying my recipes and posts! Thank you Crystal! xTieghan
Could you use quinoa, barley or couscous to replace the orzo?
Hey there,
I would use couscous! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Great dish! The orzo comes out perfectly cooked. I love the lemon juice at the end. Adds so much flavor!
Thank you so much Betsy! xTieghan
I made this last night and we loved it! The recipe is very straightforward and the results were delicious. Perfect for a busy weeknight but definitely “fancy” enough for company(but who has them anymore???)!!
Thank you Susan! xTieghan
This is another fab chicken recipe (keep them coming!). I made this last week, and it was delicious.
I used bone-in thigh fillets with skin on, my choice for most dishes. Unfortunately, orzo was impossible to find, even in well-assorted Norwegian stores. I used risotto instead, still a great option.
I was generous with all the spices and the (dry) white wine in the risotto. And don’t skip the rosemary and lemon juice before serving!
Thank you so much Henny! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This meal is by far one of my favorites. It’s so creamy and the sun-dried tomatoes add so much flavor. So, so good.
Thank you so much Samantha! xTieghan
I have never, ever reviewed a recipe which is crazy for the amount of cooking and baking that I do, but this one….oh, this one needs to be shouted from the rooftops. It is quite simply, delicious. It has been making the rounds on Montreal mom groups for a reason – its simple, easy to find /easy to make ingredients come together so beautifully…the prep time is minimal, the cost of the ingredients is minimal…and the taste is out of this world! I can’t say enough good things about it!
My friend made this first and suggest some minor tweaks and so I will pass hers and mine on:
– Double the amount of spices and add about 1 tsp of garlic powder…this is just something I like do for all recipes as I like my chicken super well seasoned
– 1 cup of heavy cream is a lot…I mixed 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cream and it was still super creamy
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH DELICIOUS ORZO! The next time I make this I will double the amount of Orzo and everything that comes with it.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! I can’t wait to make it again.
Wow thank you SO so much, Wendy! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! I hope you continue to enjoy all of the recipes you try! xTieghan
I made this last night for my husband and a guest. Everyone devoured it. It was easy to make and loaded with flavour. We will for sure have it again soon. Thanks for another terrific recipe!
Love that! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Lauren! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Love this recipe. Made for my family last month and I’m going to make tonight.. Question. Can it be made ahead of time? I think with the cream it might be a little difficult. Any suggestions?
Thank You,
Patti
Hey Kathleen,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Honestly I would not recommend making this ahead:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
What size cast iron would you recommend using?
I have a 10″ enamel cast iron skillet…
Hey Alissa,
That will be great to use! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! I made this last night and it was SOOO good! Thank you for such amazing recipes. I did sub the heavy cream with Oat Creamer (3/4 cup Oat creamer and 1/4 cup half and half) to lighten it up a bit. Still so very good. The one pan meals are the best. Keep posting them!
I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Jen! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
This recipe was OMG delicious!! For the most part i had all the ingredients and it was easy to make! Another great recipe 🙂
Thank you so much Jessica! xTieghan
Wonderful! Amazing flavor. This is a new go-to recipe in our house.
Love that! Thank you Katherine! xTieghan