Our one pan Chicken Orzo Bake is the ultimate comfort food! Creamy orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, and perfectly seasoned chicken all come together for a super tasty pasta dish that the whole family will love. Even better, you can have this dish ready in just 28 minutes or less—perfect for a quick and tasty weeknight meal!

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This dish is our own take on "Marry Me Chicken" and will not disappoint! In fact, it might be worth putting on the menu for your Valentine's Day dinner!
Note: If you love quick chicken recipes, be sure to check out our Chicken Pomodoro and Chicken Pea Skillet! Or, if you're seeking more Italian-inspired dishes, try our Sausage Orzo Soup and Lasagna Soup!
👍 Why We Love this Recipe
Comfort food! Our chicken orzo is hearty and wholesome, featuring tender chicken, perfectly cooked orzo, and a rich, savory sauce that ties it all together.
Quick & simple- As with all our recipes, our baked chicken orzo can be prepared in 28 minutes or less with just a handful of ingredients.
One Pan- This recipe transitions seamlessly from stovetop to oven, all in a single pan.
Great leftovers- Like many pasta recipes, our chicken orzo bake's flavors meld and taste even better the next day. Simply add a splash of chicken broth before reheating.
🛒 Ingredients & Substitutions
Notes on key ingredients are provided below. Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Chicken- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into small cubes for faster cooking! Chicken thighs will also work for our chicken orzo bake.
Seasonings- Our mix of seasonings gives the chicken a burst of flavor that enhances the entire dish. You can adjust, to taste.
Garlic- While we prefer fresh (minced or finely chopped), jarred, minced garlic will also work. Note - if working with fresh garlic, check out our post on three ways two easily peel garlic!
Sun-dried tomatoes- Ensure the sun-dried tomatoes are oil-packed for the best flavor. We recommend buying them julienned or cutting them into thin strips to evenly distribute their amazing flavor throughout the dish.
Chicken broth- We love Better than Bouillon chicken base because it's condensed and lasts a while, takes up little room in the fridge, and its packaging is more eco-friendly. Vegetable broth can also be used.
Orzo- We love orzo because the pasta is tiny (like rice!) and delicious without being overly filling. But feel free to experiment with any other bite-sized pastas you like, e.g. elbow, Ditalini or Acini di Pepe.
Heavy cream- Full-fat coconut milk will also work if you're looking for a dairy-free option.
Spinach- For a pop of color, flavor and boost of nutrients. We prefer fresh but frozen (thawed and well-drained) will also work. Feel free to add other greens, like fresh chopped basil.
Parmesan- Grated or finely shredded.
🧑🏽🍳 Instructions
Step 1. Set oven to 425° F. Toss chicken in the seasonings, coating evenly
Step 2. Cook chicken in pan for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and set aside.
Step 3. Sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 4. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook orzo al dente (so it's slightly firm when bitten/not mushy or soft).
Step 5. Add chicken back to pan. Stir in cream, spinach, red pepper flakes, and parmesan.
Step 6. Place pan in oven. Bake for 5-8 mins, until chicken is 165° F.
Important note: Baking chicken and orzo in the oven can be an optional step, particularly if you're short on time. While we love the crispy, golden finish that baking provides, you can also skip this step and continue cooking the chicken mixture on the stove until the chicken is fully cooked.
✔️ Expert Tips and Tricks
Use an oven-safe sauté pan or fry pan. The pan should be large enough to contain all the liquid; the vertical sides of a sauté pan are ideal for this purpose.
Remember to cut chicken into small pieces for faster browning/cooking. Sometimes a butcher can do this for you to save time.
Stir orzo occasionally as it cooks to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Monitor cooking times. When baking your chicken orzo, note that the 5-8 minute time frame is subjective. It could take more or less depending on the efficiency of your oven and the thickness of your chicken.
Use a reliable meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches 165°F.
Skip the oven. If short on time, you may also continue to cook chicken mixture on the stove until warmed through and until chicken is fully cooked.
Make this dish dairy-free by swapping heavy cream for coconut milk and omitting the parmesan.
🥗 Side Dish Options
Our baked chicken orzo pairs nicely with these sides:
- Side salad- A salad with fresh ingredients is sure to brighten up this dish. You can also pair your chicken orzo bake with these tasty caprese kabobs!
- Garlic bread- Perfect for dipping into extra sauce!
- Veggies- A side of veggies like our roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli or roasted Brussels sprouts would definitely round out this dish and provide extra nutrients.
🧊 Storing and Reheating
Our chicken and orzo bake makes for great leftovers and keeps up well in the fridge.
Storing: You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat chicken orzo on medium heat on the stove or in the microwave. Because the orzo tends to absorb most of the liquid, we recommend adding extra broth when reheating.
🧒🏻 Tips for Picky Eaters
Kids pick the pasta. Let kids choose any small, bite-sized pasta they prefer, like elbow, Ditalini or Acini di Pepe.
Cut veggies into small pieces. If kids are veggie-adverse, consider cutting sun-dried tomatoes and spinach into small pieces so they feel more incorporated or even "hidden" in the dish.
Pick a veggie side! Let kids pick a side of veggies of their choice, like carrot sticks, cucumbers, steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus!
Omit red pepper flakes for a milder version of this chicken orzo bake.
❓FAQ
Yes, this chicken orzo dish can be made entirely in a skillet/frying/sauté pan on the stove. After cooking the orzo, simply add the chicken back into the pan, combine with remaining ingredients, and continue cooking together until warmed throughout and chicken is fully cooked.
We don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces, as their texture can become gritty or grainy after being frozen.
Marry Me Chicken is a dish that was originally created by Delish. The dish typically consists of chicken cooked in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan. The idea behind the name is that the meal is so delicious, it might inspire a person to propose to the meal's chef!
🎨 Craft for this Recipe
Celebrate this recipe's featured ingredient - orzo - by having kids make these adorable homemade shakers! All you need is a toilet paper roll, some extra (uncooked) orzo and tissue paper to make this sweet instrument!
🍗 More Chicken Recipes
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❤️ Chicken Orzo Bake
Equipment
- 1 oven-safe skillet or pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small cubes
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 galic cloves finely chopped or minced
- ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and julienned or cut into strips
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups spinach
- ¾ cup parmesan finely shredded or grated
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Set oven to 425°. In a small bowl, mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss the chicken in the seasoning mixture to coat evenly.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of the olive oil in large oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add chicken to pan and brown for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan and sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Pour chicken broth into the pan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Add orzo and cook "al dente" according to package directions (around 7 minutes). Note: Stir orzo occasionally as it cooks to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Return chicken to the pan. Stir in cream, spinach, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese until combined.
- Place pan in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes until slightly browned and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Notes
Nutrition
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. While we are not certified nutritionists, we work with a Wordpress-integrated nutrition API to calculate our recipes' ingredient values.
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