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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 is one of my favorite recipes to make. My company always loves this and the best thing is that it actually tastes even better the second day. I am a sloppy cook and often work weekends so it’s perfect! Lots of great flavors and freezes well in the event there are leftovers.
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! ? xTieghan
This recipe was SOOO GOOD, thank you!!
Hi Emily! I really appreciate you taking the time to give this recipe a try! I hope you loved it 🙂 xTieghan
This is my all time favorite HBH recipe and that’s saying something because there are so many good ones! I am making this for a crowd tomorrow which will be the first time. Planning to make ahead and pause before throwing in the oven. Then throw in 15 minutes before serving. Anyone do this before? Tips?
Hi there! That should work just fine! So glad you are loving this recipe 🙂 xTieghan
Hi Ellie,
Did you try making ahead and pausing before popping in oven? Did it work?
Thanks
Absolutely delicious meal! I’ve made it numerous times. How would I adjust the cooking time for chicken tenderloins instead of breasts or thighs? Thank you!
Thanks so much! I would suggest reducing the time by about 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the tenders! xTieghan
The flavors in this are absolutely spot on. For me though, the combo of tomatoes and heavy cream cause this to be insanely rich. I love it though and I really wanna try it slightly different next time to see if I can cut the richness down a tad for my pallette. It’ll be absolutely perfect then
Hey! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xxTieghan
Realized I had risotto vice orzo in the pantry but gave it a go and boy and I happy I did. A little spicy because I went heavy on the crushed red pepper, but jam packed with flavor and a great balance of food groups. Yet another fantastic HBH recipe. Thank you Tieghan!! ??
Hey Lauren! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Tieghan! I just made this tonight and WOW! It’s SO good! So flavorful, easy to make and one dish… love that! I will be making this one again. Thanks for the great recipe?
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Just made this and it was sooooooo yummy. Also I like that it seems almost impossible to mess up. I need that as I am not an expert cook! The only thing I wish was that my sauce didn’t have as much flavor as I wanted (it was delicious just more mild) so I would probably do a lot more seasoning next time on my own.
Made this again tonight – it is a family favorite! I have made it several times when we have had guests and they used their french bread to wipe their plates clean. The sauce is to die for! Measurements were accurate and mine looked just like yours. Thank you!!
This is a delicious recipe. Ingredients bang on, so tasty. My first experience using Orzo – whole family loved it!
Hi Jo! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I think 1 cup of heavy cream is way to much, it just looks nothing like yours do on your pictures, and on tiktok it looks like you have less then a 1 cup, I followed and did 1 cup but I kind of regret that now 🙁 dosent look like yours at all
Hi there! I am so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out the way you hoped, is there anything you did differently? xTieghan
Loved this one, thanks!
Hi Tieghan – this sounds amazing, can’t wait to try it, however my husband isn’t an orzo fan – would either arborio or paella rice work? Which would you think would be best?
Thank you x
I made this for dinner tonight. It was FANTASTIC!! Love the creaminess of this dish!! And with so little effort!! Tasted like it cooked for hours!! Hubby loved it as well!! Best part was I had all the ingredients in the house!!
We love this recipe and it’s a constant at our house. Absolutely delicious!
Hey Brittnie,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
This is one of the best recipes I have ever tried, so consistent and delicious, definitely a crowd favorite. Do you know how this recipe would taste with a milk alternative? I am thinking of using Coconut milk, but I am hoping it won’t affect the flavor too much
I have used coconut milk in this recipe multiple times and it’s delicious
Hi Tisha,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
Did you still use the same amount? I plan to try to make this with coconut milk! Thanks !
Hi Jacky,
Yes, you will use an equal amount of coconut milk. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hey Erica,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!! A lot of people use coconut milk here and seem to enjoy that. ? xTieghan