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Creamy Marry Me Chicken Orzo (One Pot!)

Marry Me Chicken Orzo (One Pot!)
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Creamy Marry Me Chicken Orzo (One Pot!) is a cozy one pot chicken dinner with tender orzo, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and a silky tomato cream sauce. It feels special enough for date night but stays simple enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce
1 ¼ cup half and half
2 ½ cups chicken broth
½ chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Frank’s
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon dried parsley
¾ teaspoon onion powder
Chicken/Pasta
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, oil reserved
1 cup orzo, uncooked
½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Mix the sauce: In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the half and half, chicken broth, bouillon, honey, hot sauce, Dijon mustard, oregano, basil, parsley, and onion powder until mostly smooth. Set it near the stove so it is ready when the pan is hot.
  2. Brown the chicken: Pat the chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, and heat 1 tablespoon of reserved sun dried tomato oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and nearly cooked through, then transfer it to a plate.
  3. Build the base: Reduce the heat to medium and pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes, then add the butter, garlic, tomato paste, and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells rich.
  4. Cook the orzo: Stir in the orzo until it is coated in the tomato mixture. Pour in the prepared sauce, bring it to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender and the sauce looks creamy.
  5. Finish creamy: Return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Stir in the parmesan cheese and cream cheese until melted and smooth, then simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce lightly clings to the orzo.
  6. Wilt the spinach: Fold in the baby spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until tender and bright green. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or a splash of broth if the orzo thickens more than you like.

Notes

Use extra chicken broth in place of the white wine if preferred, and add a small squeeze of lemon at the end for brightness. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheat gently with a splash of broth or half and half to loosen the creamy sauce. Stir the orzo often while it cooks so it does not settle and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Nutrition

Keywords: marry me chicken orzo, chicken orzo, one pot chicken orzo

Find it online: https://thesavorymama.com/marry-me-chicken-orzo-one-pot/