One Pot Orzo Pasta with Chicken (20 Minute Dinner)- Slender Kitchen

A single Pot Orzo Pasta with Hen, Sundried Tomatoes, and Spinach is healthful, straightforward to make, and bursting with crave-deserving flavors. This balanced 20-moment food is excellent for occupied weeknights and supper parties alike!

407 Energy49g CARBS8g Fat33g PROTEIN

This easy orzo pasta recipe is a fast paced mom’s desire. Quick to make, balanced, and delicious—the trifecta! Incorporate in the reality that it usually takes just 20 minutes to make and you have bought yourself the best relatives dinner. Serving for one particular? The leftovers can provide as quick and quick lunches all 7 days long.

I really don’t know about you, but I’m not a supporter of undertaking dishes. Which is just one of the many causes why 1-pot foods are so darn pleasing to me. Only a single dish to clean? Rely me in.

I’m no stranger to these varieties of foods, which you possibly know if you have seen my other 1 pot foods like this Just one Pot Caprese Pasta or this One Pot Spinach and Tomato Pasta.

A single Pot Orzo is designed with flavorful substances like rooster breast, orzo, chicken broth, white beans, newborn spinach, sundried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and clean basil. It’s a powerhouse of wealthy, savory, fresh new, and vibrant flavors, all cooked in 1 superb pot. We also like this Lemon Orzo with Broccoli and Roasted Vegetable Orzo.

You can provide this dish on its own or pair it along with some Two Ingredient Dough Breadsticks for the ultimate pasta evening. No make any difference how and when you pick to serve this dish, it ensures to be the star of any dinner desk. Check out it out for yourself and see!

Orzo with chicken breast, spinach, white beans, and sundried tomatoes in a bowl with a spoon.

Essential Ingredients

To make this mouth watering just one-pot orzo recipe, you will want the following essential substances:

  • Rooster breasts: Make certain to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs also function. For a vegetarian one-pot dish, sense cost-free to go away the hen.
  • Garlic: Clean is most effective, so I highly suggest sticking to clean garlic if you can. Otherwise, garlic powder will function in a pinch.
  • Hen broth: To hold the sodium minimal in this dish, I prefer to use very low-sodium hen broth. However, normal hen broth and vegetable broth will both equally function fine as nicely.
  • Orzo: If you really do not have orzo or merely want to try out some thing else, experience free to use your preferred little sort of pasta. Some of my best alternatives consist of ditalini or pastina. However, you will have to have to alter the cooking time to match the pasta you are cooking.
  • Cannellini beans: These beans have a nutty, earthy taste that tastes excellent with the other flavors of this dish. They also add a hearty dose of protein and fiber. Chickpeas also get the job done or you can skip the beans fully.
  • Newborn spinach: If six cups of spinach audio like a ton to you, just hold out until eventually it cooks down! If you only have frozen spinach, that operates as perfectly. Just make guaranteed ro defrost it to start with and squeeze out any extra moisture.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes: I endorse utilizing the variety that appear packed in oil with herbs, as this infuses a ton of wonderful taste into the previously-scrumptious solar-dried tomatoes. Drained diced tomatoes would also get the job done.
  • Fresh new basil: Whilst you can use a diverse herb if you’d like (parsley will work perfectly), it is completely necessary to stick to fresh herbs. They add tons of taste to this extraordinary dish.

What is orzo pasta? How do you prepare dinner orzo?

Orzo is a tiny pasta that is oval-formed and resembles rice. It is classified as a “pastina” or small pasta in Italy and is designed from semolina flour. It is preferred in soups, grain bowls, pasta salads, pasta dishes, and other recipes where a more compact pasta will work far better.

Generally speaking, orzo can be cooked in two techniques. It can be cooked just like any pasta in boiling salted water. It normally takes 8-10 minutes.

Orzo can also be cooked like rice, wherever the orzo absorbs the liquid it cooks. This effects in a mouth watering creamy texture considering the fact that the starch stays. For this preparation, you will want 2 cups of liquid for 1 cup of orzo. Cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring often to continue to keep the orzo from sticking.

Recipe Strategies and Versions

Below are some of my top rated strategies and tricks to aid you make this dish:

  • The liquid is flexible. If your liquid evaporates in advance of your orzo has completed cooking, never be scared to add some additional! I have usually found 3 cups of broth to be the sweet spot, but you can certainly include additional if wanted. The hen broth turns into a creamy sauce for this dish, so really don’t be frightened to increase a little more if wanted. It shouldn’t be dry. Incorporate about two tablespoons of liquid at a time.
  • Stir. Make sure you keep in mind to stir your orzo commonly to be certain that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Change the cooking time if essential: Taste the orzo as it cooks and increases the cooking time if essential till it is al dente.
  • White wine. If you’re emotion extravagant, consider changing some of the hen broth with white wine. Alcoholic beverages assists release flavor molecules in other food items, indicating the flavors of this dish will be enhanced.
  • Dried herbs. If you simply cannot get your palms on any contemporary herbs, you can use dried basil as a substitute. Just make sure to minimize the sum by 50 %.
  • Finish with lemon: To add some brightness to the ultimate dish, end with some fresh new lemon juice and lemon zest.
  • Incorporate more veggies: This dish functions terrific with further veggies. Think about incorporating some red peppers, zucchini, crimson onion, refreshing cherry tomatoes, or summer season squash.
  • Incorporate a garnish: Kick up the taste even extra by including some kalamata olives, pine nuts, capers, sliced lemons, fresh new parsley, purple pepper flakes, or excess parmesan cheese.

One pot orzo cooked with chicken, sundried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl being held by two hands.

How to Serve Orzo Pasta

This Just one Pot Hen and Orzo is the great healthy weeknight meal. Mainly because it has all the parts of a well balanced food — grains, veggies, and protein — this dish stands up brilliantly on its very own.

If you are looking for some thing additional, right here are some of my most loved dishes to serve with this dish:

  • Bread. Bread is the typical pasta accompaniment and this delectable orzo dish is no diverse. I endorse serving this orzo dish with garlic bread, toasted sourdough, or common breadsticks.
  • Salad. If you’re seeking to include some additional greens into your evening meal, then serving this orzo together with a aspect salad is a wonderful decision. Some of my major choices involve my Straightforward Arugula Salad, Simple Spring Blend Salad, and Cucumber, Avocado, and Tomato Salad.

Leftovers and Storage Tips

Seeking to retail outlet leftovers of this healthful a single-pot meal? No problem. As soon as the dish has cooled, transfer it to an airtight storage container. Then, you can retailer it in 1 of two ways:

  • In the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
  • In the freezer for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Thoughts

Beneath are the responses to some of the most regularly requested concerns about this dish:

This orzo recipe is packed with protein, fiber, nutritional vitamins, and minerals from the addition of plenty of veggies, beans, and chicken. Even so, due to the fact orzo is pretty substantial in carbs, it’s nevertheless crucial to consume this dish in moderation. As long as you do that, this meal would make a beautifully healthier addition to any diet.

Reheating leftovers of this wholesome dish is a breeze. All you have to do is spot them in a microwave-protected container and reheat in 1 minute intervals until finally warm. Alternatively, you can reheat leftovers on medium warmth more than the stove right up until warmed by means of. If the dish appears to be like dry, include a splash of chicken broth.

Although sun-dried tomatoes add a ton of flavor to this dish, you can unquestionably use canned diced tomatoes in their spot if which is what you have at home. Continue to keep in brain this will change the taste and texture of the dish, but it will nevertheless be tasty.