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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
This was crazy delicious. Took about 45 minutes and was something I would have been thrilled to eat at a restaurant. Husband and toddler loved it too!! Huge win.
Thank you Lauren! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for this recipe! This is about to be a new staple in our house
Thank you so much Rebecca! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this with rice instead of orzo to accommodate my gluten free husband. This recipe was actually perfect for a fridge/pantry cleanout day! I thawed some frozen chicken breasts and had all the other items on hand! It was delicious and easy! Enough for dinner and a couple lunches for the week!
Thank you so much Grace! I am so glad you loved this recipe so much! xTieghan
My husband and I enjoyed this recipe and it was super easy to make! We will make it again! Thank you for sharing this easy, one skillet recipe!
Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
Made this the other night and it was fabulous! My guy loved it and this will definitely be on my rotation of regular dishes! Thanks so much Tieghan!
That is so great! Thank you Linda! xTieghan
1 lb chicken is only two breasts… are you sure you didn’t mean 2 lb? I ended up cutting the breasts in 1/3 pieces in order to be able to serve four people.
HI! I use only about 1 pound of chicken (my breast are usually pretty large, so I cut them in half), but feel free to use 2 pounds if that feeds your family/guest best. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was delish!
Will definitely make again!
Thank you Mary! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this the other night, it was spectacular! My husband raved about it!
That is so great! Thank you Leanne! xTieghan
Delicious and always love a one-dish meal! This recipe is a wonderful winter night’s meal and would also be good for guests or a pre-Christmas meal.
Thank you so much Lori! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was good. I had sour cream in the house and used that but was probably not the best replacement for cream. Can you lll I use coconut milk? I think it could have used more sundried tomatoes and next time I was thinking of adding artichoke hearts. What is your thought on that?
HI! Yes, coconut milk works really well. Love the sound of more tomatoes and artichoke hearts. I would add the artichokes with the tomatoes. Yum!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Recipe states, boneless and skinless.
SO good! It was a cold rainy day and this popped up on my Instagram feed and I knew it would be perfect for a warm cozy dinner. I’ll definitely be adding this one to my recipe book!
Thank you!! I am so glad you enjoyed this Cait! xTieghan
would you please answer the question bone in breasts or thighs$ thank you
Hi Donna, I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or small thighs. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
HI! I use boneless, skinless chicken breast. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Amazing recipe. Husband raved!
That is the best! Thank you Sheryl! xTieghan
Made this tonight while home solo with my two year old. It was quick enough to throw together during an episode of Mickey Mouse Club House and was super yummy. Taunted my husband with photos of the finished meal and he can’t wait for the leftovers! My two year old enjoyed this dish as well! Thanks for sharing!
That is so great! Thank you so much Bethany! xTieghan