Tuscan Chicken and Orzo is a 30 minute one pan dinner that’s rich with flavors from garlic and sun-dried tomatoes! If your family is anything like mine, they’re going to be head over heels in love with this easy Italian pasta! It’s full of flavor and is guaranteed to fill you up.
When I want to make a simple, delicious dinner, I always rack my brain for a one pan/pot recipe! This Tuscan chicken and orzo one pan dinner always satisfies, so it’s safe to say that it’s a fixture in my weeknight routine. It’s got carbs, protein and veggies all in one pan. On those crazy busy weeknights at home (I’ve got two young sons, so you can imagine the level of crazy), I love tossing together an entire meal in just one pan. Plus, it’s ready to go in just 30 minutes. This Italian dinner checks all the right boxes, and then some!
What’s in Tuscan chicken and orzo?
This recipe has everything you love about Tuscan chicken, plus orzo to fill out the dish and help soak up all that creamy sauce! Here are just a few of the ingredients in this easy recipe:
- Chicken: While chicken thighs are my personal favorite for this recipe, you can use pretty much any type of chicken you’d like.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: If they’re in oil, make sure they’re drained well before chopping.
- Parmesan Cheese: For the very best flavor and texture, consider freshly grating your own cheese right off the block. When you buy pre-shredded cheese, it’s coated in a powder that will cause it to seize up when mixed into the pan.
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How to Store and Reheat
Have any leftovers? Great! I love eating these leftovers for lunch the next day!
In an airtight container, these chicken thighs and orzo will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, just toss it all back into your pan and reheat it over medium high. Stir often, and toss in a bit of olive oil or heavy cream to add moisture if needed.
Notes and Tips
- Double check that your chicken is fully cooked by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of it. If it reads at least 165°F, it’s fully cooked and safe to eat!
- Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes so their flavor is spread evenly throughout the dish. If you leave them as whole pieces, you won’t get their flavor in every bite.
- If you really love garlic, don’t be afraid to throw another garlic clove or two into the mix! When it comes to Italian, is there even such a thing as too much garlic?!
Top Reader Review
“This recipe is out of this world good. My family said it “looked like a professional chef made it”. And they devoured it. Will be making again and again!!” – Michelle B.
Tuscan Chicken and Orzo Skillet
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ½ onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1½ cups orzo
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.1½ pounds chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.4 tablespoons olive oil
- Once heated, add in the chicken thighs, cooking for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.4 tablespoons olive oil
- Add in the onions, sprinkle with salt, and cook for a couple minutes until softened.½ onion
- Add in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for another minute.4 cloves garlic, ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- Stir in the orzo.1½ cups orzo
- Add in the chicken broth.3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Place the chicken thighs back in the pan.
- Cover the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the orzo is cooked.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the pan once again.
- Stir in the spinach, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese.3 cups fresh spinach, ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Return chicken thighs to the pan.
- Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, more parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.Fresh chopped parsley, Squeeze of lemon juice
This recipe is out of this world good. My family said it “looked like a professional chef made it”. And they devoured it. Will be making again and again!!
We’re so happy to hear you loved this recipe, Michelle!!
Made the recipe exactly like it was presented. We devoured it in short order. Absolutely delicious. Will be apart of our regular meal plan.
Quick question, do you use bone in chicken thighs or boneless for this recipe?
Boneless!
I’ve made this recipe many times. Excellent! Do you think I could cook the chicken ahead of time and just put the chicken in at the end to warm? I’m just looking to make it a bit quicker for company. Thoughts?
Hi Joan, we think that would work just fine!
This is a fabulous recipe. And easy. Made with boneless chicken breast. Big winner!
My husband loved it! Very good flavor!
This was a great recipe. My husband loved it. I don’t care for sun dried tomatoes, so subbed a can of crushed tomatoes w/basil. I’m also dairy free, so I used unflavored Almond Milk and the end result was great. When I re-heated the next day, I added a splash of chicken broth to loosen up the sauce.
Flavourful recipe but I would skip the cooking cream next time because it felt heavy on my stomach. I wish the chicken thighs were juicier. Probably that happened because I don’t have a dutch oven just a regular pan with a lid. I would cook it again but with a few tweaks.
We absolutely loved this recipe! Easy dinner to put together and so flavoursome. Will add mushrooms as well next time (extra veg) and 1/2 cup white wine. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
This a go to dinner for me. It’s tasty and quick.