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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
Hello! In the video you mention broth…is that in addition to the water? Or a substitute for the water? Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Suzette,
You can use water or broth for this recipe:) Please let me know if you give this dish a try! xT
I made this last weekend for friends (subbed broth for water; that was the only change I made) and it was just delicious! Everyone asked for the recipe. Thank you Tiguan! 😀
Hey Suzette,
Fantastic!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it and your comment! x
Hi, I have made this several times and loved it, butcthis time my milk (subbed for cream) curdled. What did I do wrong?
Hi Lisa,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear you have been enjoying this recipe:) Was your milk cold? I would try the cream again! I hope this helps! xx
Absolutely delicious. My husband had to restrain himself from eating thirds. This will be one of my go to meals from now on.
Hey Brittany,
Thanks so much! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Have the best weekend:) xx
This was so easy and so good! My husband and I loved it !
Hey Kiki,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for making it and your comment! xx
I typically have to change a recipe slightly to accommodate my dietary restrictions. So for the Heavy Cream I substituted with Plain Sheep Yogurt (since I’m not supposed to eat cow dairy)
I used Kale since I didn’t have spinach.
Pecorino instead of Parmesan cheese. and I wish I had fresh Rosemary I would have baked that in the dish.
Overall the dish turned out well.
Hey Terah,
Wonderful! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed!!
I made this tonight, and it was so tasty! Perfect one pot meal and the flavors were so amazing. White wine, lemon juice, sun dried tomatoes with the creamy sauce and Parmesan cheese. Don’t forget the spinach and parsley, for some green goodness!! Loved it! Thank you!!
Hey Mary,
Yay! Love to hear this:) Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment! Have the best day!!
I never write reviews for recipes, but I’ve tried this recipe twice over the past year and it’s always on my mind. It’s so simple to make, it’s delicious and the instructions are spot on. Amazing! 10/10 would recommend even if you are a beginner cook.
Hey Brianna,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! xx
delicious. Can I freeze this?
Thanks so much, Alex!! Sure, that would be just fine for you to do:) Happy Sunday! xx
This dish is on repeat in our house over the last few years. Quick, easy, delicious every time. 20/10.
Hey Liz,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe so often, love to hear it always turns out nicely for you! xx
Curious if you’ve scaled this! I’ve enjoyed a single batch so much that I wanted to make this for friends (12 adults) and 1 box of orzo doesn’t feel like enough. Would you go 2 boxes and scale the liquid accordingly?
Thanks so much, Darren! So sorry, I have never tried that. I worry about the skillet not being large enough. If you are able to do 2 batches, I think that will work best for you. I hope this helps! xT
I have bone-in chicken thighs. Do I need to make any other modifications if I wanted to use these?
I have made it with boneless chicken previously and it was fantastic.
Hi Suzi,
I would just increase your cook time for the chicken:) I hope this helps! xT
I used this recipe as a jumping off point and used what I had on hand. Subbed extra stock for wine, since I was out, I didn’t have oil packed tomatoes so I soaked chopped dried tomatoes instead. Used onions instead of shallots, and grainy mustard instead of Dijon. It was delish!
Hey there,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
This is an absolutely wonderful recipe that I will make again. Next time I’m going to halve the tomatoes and add mushrooms. Thanks
Hey Chris,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe, love to hear it turned out well for you! Enjoy your day:)
How important is the 1/3 cup dry white wine?
Hi MJ,
You can use broth in place of the wine:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I LOVE, LOVE this dish! My son shared your recipe a few months ago and tomorrow I will serve it for the 4th time (this time for my supper club). Per my son’s suggestion, I doubled the amount of orzo and the liquid. I prefer the short-size orzo vs the longer No 65 size, and I use organic chicken stock. With the doubling of these two ingredients, it turned out great. It is a beautiful dish and your family or guests just may feel quite special if you serve it. Earlier this month, I took this dish to my neighbor and her son is a professional chef. My confidence in this dish rose even higher when I learned how much he enjoyed it. So kudos to you for posting this!
Hey Anne,
Awesome! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have a nice Sunday:) xx
I love this recipe and make it all the time! Do you think it could work to do every step besides baking ahead of time as meal prep and then put in the oven at dinner time? With a slight increase in time?
I’m worried this make affect the orzo.
Hey Maddie,
Love to hear this! Thanks a lot for making this recipe so often and your comment! I think that would be just fine for you to do, I freeze this recipe often for my family and have no issues with the orzo. Have a nice day:) xxT
Hi! How do you recommend heating it after it’s been frozen?
Hi Megan,
I would cover with foil and heat at 300F in the oven. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx