Description
Craving an Italian-inspired dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes? This creamy Tuscan chicken with orzo delivers restaurant-quality flavor with half the effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 1½ cups uncooked orzo pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and half of the Italian seasoning. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown but not fully cooked. Remove to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil and cook diced onions for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and remaining Italian seasoning.
- Add uncooked orzo to the skillet and stir for 1 minute to toast slightly. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is almost tender.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens and chicken is fully cooked.
- Gradually add spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Remove from heat and let rest for 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan if desired. Serve directly from the skillet.