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
can this be made in an instant pot?
We think so! We would brown the chicken on both sides first, remove it from the pot, and sauté the onions and garlic. Then, we would add the chicken broth, seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and orzo and manual/pressure cook for around 6 minutes. Pressure release for 10 minutes, then stir in the cream, spinach, and cheese. Let us know how it goes!
What a delicious dish! I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and almond milk/arrowroot starch instead of HWC due to dietary issues to thicken the gravy. This recipe will definitely be one to cook repeatedly. Yum!
We’re glad you were able to make adjustments to suit your diet!
My daughter made this recipe for dinner tonight. OMG!! It was amazing. So full of flavor and textures. She’s probably tired of me raving about it, but she’ll have to get over it. Absolutely delicious!!
Thanks so much for sharing, Susan!
Awesome recipe. The flavors are amazing. Simple and 1 pot, the best. Hubby loved it and he hates spinach. Definitely a keeper. Thanks
Wonderful to hear, Linda!
Amazing delicious
So glad you enjoyed it, Jean!
Really good put a bit of chilli to spice up a bit.
Can I freeze it ?
Yes, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months!
we loved it! I omitted the spinach, added mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Used garlic bread to sop up the wonderful sauce.
Great company dish.
Sounds wonderful, Marianne!
Made it exactly as written…loved it and will definitely make it again!
Glad to hear it, Kathy!
Delish! I added chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and fresh tomatoes because I was out of sun-dried. Used tiny farfalle pasta as the market didn’t have orzo, homemade chicken stock, and much more parmesan cheese! I browned the thighs until the skin was good and crispy, and moved them to a plate while I made the pasta mixture. Then I put the thighs back on top, and put the frying pan in the oven until the pasta and the chicken were both cooked through. Only used one pan, and the chicken skin stayed nice and crispy. Everyone loved it, including picky kiddos!
Thanks so much for sharing, Stacy!
Wondering if the orzo is raw? When you add it to the pan? It looks like a delicious recipe
Yes, add orzo to the pan uncooked. It will cook as it simmers in the broth.
Great recipe. I cooked the chicken in the oil from the sun dried tomatoes. So much flavour.
Apart from that I followed the recipe. Thank you.