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This Creamy Chicken Orzo is made with simple ingredients and can be on your table in 30 minutes. It’s a meal the whole family will love!

This is a super easy dinner recipe that will please even your picky eaters. If your family is like ours…..they can’t get enough pasta recipes, lol! But what I love most about this recipe is that it is made all in one pot!

Chicken orzo on a white plate with a fork

A 30 Minute Meal!

If you are short on time but need a comforting and wholesome meal this Creamy Chicken Orzo is the dish for you. It only takes a handful of simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make this one-pot wonder.

Why do we love it, other than the fact that it requires easy ingredients and just a little bit of time? Well, you pretty much just throw everything in, stir, and cook. That’s it!

And boom you end up with a cozy meal that the whole family will enjoy. I call that a win!

ingredients for chicken orzo recipe

THE Ingredients

Here is what you’ll need to make this creamy chicken and orzo dinner recipe.

  • CHICKEN: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. You can also use rotisserie chicken and toss it in when you add the orzo.
  • VEGETABLES: I am using the classics- onion, celery, and carrots. With garlic for added flavor. But you can use whatever vegetables you prefer.
  • ORZO PASTA: I haven’t tested this recipe with anything but orzo pasta so I can’t say for sure how substituting for other pasta or rice will work.
  • CHICKEN BROTH: Use lower sodium to control your sodium levels.
  • PARSLEY
  • SALT AND PEPPER

chicken and orzo have a stock pot

How to Make Creamy Chicken Orzo

CHICKEN:ย Start by cooking the sliced chicken with the onion, celery, and carrots until the chicken is no longer pink. Be sure to season with salt and pepper while cooking. Stir in the garlic.

PASTA:ย Stir in the orzo pasta, chicken broth, and parsley. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Be sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the pan.

And that’s it! We told you it was easy!

Dairy free, but creamy?

How is this dairy-free and creamy, you ask? Well, it’s sort of like risotto….when cooking, the starches from the pasta make a silky and creamy like sauce.

However, if you feel it needs to be a little creamier, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream or half and half. My family loves it both ways!

Chicken orzo recipe cooking in a pot

Serving and storing

We like to SERVE this pasta dish with salad or bread. Here are a few suggestions:

STORE any leftover chicken orzo in the fridge in an airtight storage container for 3-5 days.

When REHEATING, you may want to add a bit of water or chicken broth to add some moisture and revive the consistency.

Close up of creamy chicken orzo on a white plate

For More Favorite Simple Pasta Dishes, try:

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4.97 from 82 votes

Chicken Orzo Recipe

By: Lil' Luna
This Creamy Chicken Orzo is made with simple ingredients and can be on your table in 30 minutes. It's a meal the whole family will love!
Servings: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large (or 2 small) chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound orzo pasta, uncooked
  • 3 tablespoons minced parsley

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium to medium low heat.
  • Add chicken, onion, celery, and carrots and cook until chicken is no longer pink. (about 5 minutes) Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Stir in the garlic.
  • Add broth, orzo, and parsley. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 672mg, Potassium: 372mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1400IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.97 from 82 votes (63 ratings without comment)

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41 Comments

  1. Stephanie N Markiewicz says:

    I just made this recipe. And it smells delicious. I think what others are having issues with is that you need to let the liquid evaporate to make it to the creamy state. The pasta will absorb the water. So instead of simmer i put it on a boil and baby sat it for a bit.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thanks so much for sharing what you did. Hope you enjoyed!!

  2. Jen says:

    5 stars
    Made this last night and froze the leftovers in individual portions. It reheated beautifully, although was a bit dry. Topped with grated Parmesan, gave it a quick stir and had a had a quick tasty lunch!

  3. Erin says:

    Donโ€™t usually leave unhappy comments but this recipe needs to be revised. I made the x2 recipe with the 12 cups of brothโ€” this is not a creamy recipe. This is more like a soup and Ive made it just now for dinner and my family said no thanks! Itโ€™s not the brand of broth for sure, please revise recipe, itโ€™s a lot to waste when expecting something else.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thanks for the feedback. There is note in there that says if you feel like it needs to be creamier, add 1/2 cup of heavy cream or half and half. So that could help it feel less “soup-y”. But I appreciate the feedback and thanks for giving the recipe a try.