Description
Creamy, cheesy, and ready in one pan – this Parmesan Chicken Orzo Skillet is what dinner dreams are made of. Skip the reservation and grab your skillet instead.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds (680g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon (15g) butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1½ cups (300g) uncooked orzo pasta
- 3½ cups (830ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups (60g) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and cover.
- In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil and butter. Sauté onion for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add dry orzo pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Toast for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until light golden.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release browned bits. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Return chicken to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and orzo is tender. Gradually add Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until melted.
- Fold in chopped spinach and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.