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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’m not really a cook but I’ve been fascinated by your website and Instagram reels. So I made this last night and it was excellent! I’m so excited! Your directions are clear and easy to follow. My meal looked ALMOST as good as your photo! Almost….. Can’t wait to try another recipe of yours. Thanks so much.
Hey Michele,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
The recipe was easy enough I made it with my two year old (which is always an adventure). The whole family loved it. My picky husband even called it satisfying. Will definitely add to our rotation.
Hey Johanna,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Super yummy! I used Arborio rice instead of orzo (grocery store was out and it’s what I had on hand) Just cooked it a bit longer before putting it in the oven adding chicken broth if it looked dry. Followed everything else exactly as written and this turned out very good!!
Hey Liz,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Speechless… I have made many of your recipes and every single one is incredible. After I’ve taken a bite of each recipe that I’ve always said “this has to be on my top three favorites so far”.. they keep getting better! Thank you for sharing this recipe. The flavors are out of this world and I will definitely be making it again in the future.
Hey Nicole,
Fantastic!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:) Have the best day! xxT
Can we use kale instead of spinach or will it be too bitter?
Hey Shane,
Kale will work well for you here! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Thanks for posting this one on Instagram recently. I made this recipe last night for a friend and it was so good! The only thing I forgot was the rosemary. I love the combo of flavors.
Hey Betsy,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
Delicious and easy! I used chicken stock instead of water. Added a little more orzo and liquid so we would have more risotto. Used almost two pounds of chicken. Baked it all with a rosemary spring. Made it a couple of hours early and left it on the stove covered; and warmed it when we were ready to eat.
Hey Sue,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
This is so good!!
Hey Christa,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
Delicious recipe – will use this so many times
Hey Maura,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
My family absolutely loved this recipe! My husband even requested that I make it for his birthday. I will need to double the recipe next time so we can enjoy the leftovers.
Hey Carly,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
Everyone in my family loved this one!! I will be making a double batch next time so I can enjoy leftovers for lunch 🙂
Hey Jacqui,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
Tieghan, you never cease to amaze. I think I’ve started every review I write on here with “This is PHENOMENAL”, lol. And… this is PHENOMENAL. Your recipes are so simple and straightforward, but creative and of so many different types of cuisines, and everything is restaurant quality. I don’t know how you do it! We made this exactly as directed and it was just so good. Thanks for all your work coming up with these delicious recipes.
Hey Meghan,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Thanks so much for your kind message. xxT
Hands down, the GREATEST meal I’ve made/eaten. Replaced the water with chicken stock but other than that wouldn’t change a single thing. AMAZING
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxT
We love the recipe SO much and it’s on regular rotation at our house! I’m wanting to double or even triple the recipe for a group dinner…. Would it work equally as well in a large Dutch oven or should I use multiple skillets?
Hey Pamela,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! I would do multiple skillets. xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! A “put this on the rotation” comment from the family. Soooo good!
Hey Beth,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan