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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
Absolutely incredible! This was my fiancee and I’s first HBH recipe, and it set the bar higher than I could have imagined! It made me feel as though I actually know how to cook. It is also the first thing that I have cooked in longer than I care to admit, which I would feel comfortable showing off to friends and family. Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Brad,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Made this for my wife, I’d make and eat again.
Hey Nick,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Made this tonight…everyone enjoyed it! the only thing that I changed is added 1.5X the seasoning and mushrooms! Because I added mushrooms, I added an additional 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of cream. Wish I can post a picture! Thank you for sharing this recipe…cheers
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Our new favourite! Truly a beautiful and delicious meal that I made tonight for my family. Thank you!!
Hey Lisa,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Made this tonight and was enjoyed by all! So delicious! Instead of crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper I added a heathy dose of Cajun seasoning. I used 1.5 lbs of b/s thighs and was still well proportioned and we had plenty of sauce and orzo. Will make this one again for sure, would be great to feed guests too!
Hey Jess,
Perfect!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for trying it out! xx
So very delicious and easy to make. Couldn’t find orzo in multiple stores so substituted gemelli pasta and it worked great. We love all your recipes. I bought your cook book for us and one for a good friend. My picky eating daughter went through the book marking numerous recipes she wants us to try. In fact she helped make the Mongolian beef with my husband. A hit for sure! Thank you!
Hey Rosanna,
Perfect!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for trying it out! xx
Very quick and easy however was a tad bland. I used thighs even which tend to add even more flavor. If I make again, I will definitely use stock instead of the water and up the amounts of seasoning. I actually ended up layering more cheese over the top once done and stirring in a bit more spice for flavor and popped back in the oven for about 10-12 additional minutes. Voila! I LOVE that it’s one skillet and combines ingredients I almost always have on hand. Such a gorgeous dish too, the presentation in a cast iron skillet when it comes out of the oven beautifully browned with pops of color from the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, is just mouth watering.
Hey Erin,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear that it was enjoyed overall! xT
You’re recipes are quickly becoming weekly staples in my house. This one is no exception!
I used small elbow pasta since more store was out of stock with the orzo and it still worked like a charm. Also used chicken broth instead of water. This dish was so flavorful. Even my husband who is not a fan of sun dried tomato dishes said he loved it— went back for thirds too 😋
Hey Liz,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
This was a very frustrating recipe for me. The flavours were really good. But when I added the garlic it immediately burned because the pan was so hot. Same with the orzo, some turned dark brown before I had a chance to get more liquid into the pan. I seared the chicken, that was fine, but 400 for 15 minutes was nowhere near long enough to cook it through. I had to put it back in the oven twice more, and by the time it was cooked the spinach was over cooked. Still tasted good—but it was frustrating.
Hey Devon,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear you didn’t love it and found it to be frustrating. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
This was SO GOOOOD! Loved by the entire family! Simple to make. Will definitely make again…and probably double the recipe because I am so sad that I do not have leftovers!
Hey Sarah,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Absolutely DELICIOUS! My 2nd HBH recipe of the day, and Tieghan killed it yet again! Doubled the recipe for extra leftovers for the fam but it was perfect! I added a little more seasoning to the orzo to my taste as I felt like that needed a little bit more flavor since we only heavily seasoned the chicken, but overall 10/10 restaurant quality!
Hey Allyssa,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Will definitely make this again. It was a little dry. Maybe a little more cream. My husband likes peas. Made a great side.
Hi Patricia,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, peas sound like a great addition! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xx
I made this for supper tonight. It surpassed my expectations. My husband loved it. The recipe was easy to follow, the ingredients were easily on hand with the exception of the heavy cream. Who doesn’t love a one pan dinner !
Hey Doreen,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xx
So good and easy to make. I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes on hand but used roasted red peppers instead. Worked out well. Definitely add the lemon juice when plated. Yum!
Hey Amy,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Wonderful combination of flavors and a hearty meal!
Hey Patricia,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Made this tonight. Substituted chicken broth for wine. Excellent!! Everyone enjoyed it, even a fussy teenager! Will definitely be making this again.
Hey Michelle,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT