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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
Easy to cook and easy to eat. Even good as leftovers!
Hey Katy,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
When was I supposed to put the lemon juice in? Before the oven?
Hey Amanda,
I use the lemon in step 4. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
If I have some already cooked pasta, what should I do to tweak this recipe? I was just going to add it at the end to the cooked chicken and creamy sauce.
Hey Jessica,
Yes, I would just reduce the liquid and then you can add the cooked pasta at the end. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This recipe was amazing! It was pretty easy for one person to make quickly without getting overwhelmed. The orzo and the sauce thickened nicely to make a rich and savory, creamy base for the tender and juicy chicken thighs. The addition of the rosemary and lemon juice for serving really completed the dish for a very well rounded flavor that hit every point of the palette. It’s still good without, but the addition of these two ingredients takes it to the next level. Sundried tomatoes also add a nice little umami punch to brighten the dish.
Hey Jessica,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Just fabulous, and I thank you ?
Hey Jeremy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Very easy and delicious! Definitely adding this to our weekly rotation.
Hey Tiffany,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was seriously outstanding! I only had bone-in chicken thighs but it worked perfectly. I made no other changes to the recipe. My husband said “omg, it’s a keeper!) Thank you for a great dinner!
Hey Susan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Amazing!!! This is a must make recipe. The only thing I would recommend is to prep and pre measure all of your ingredients before you start as this moves along very quickly. Thank you so much for this incredible recipe!!
Hey Pam,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This is my absolute favourite recipe. Such a crowd pleaser, I get so many compliments and super easy. I make it just as the recipe says. So delicious. Thanks T! X
Hey Olivia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Was super easy to make and delicious. I did it in a high rimmed non-stick pan and it worked out fine. Orzo was flavorful and creamy, and the chicken was juicy and tender. Definitely recommend this recipe.
This was really good. Just saying!!!
Thanks so much Marjorie!! xTieghan
I’ve made this before and I love it so much! But tonight I was really craving it but I didn’t have any cream or milk.. So I decided to take a spin on it and just left out the cream, added a cube of pesto (also your pesto recipe♥) and threw in some brocoli I had to use and it was bomb! Thanks so much for everything you do! Your recipes are always so flavourful!
Hey Joann,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Very delicious and easy to combine in one pan cooking. I was short on chicken and should have probably used 3 breasts not just two.
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I just made this for my family this evening and it received a resounding 5 stars from all of us! This dish is incredibly flavorful and comes together quickly if you prep all the ingredients before starting. Will definitely make this again!
Hey Susan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Would I be able to sub the cream for oat milk? Would it be as creamy? Any other suggestions besides coconut milk, that was mentioned in other posts? We have lactose intolerant members in our house. Thanks!
Hey Faye,
Sure, oat milk would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan