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This simple One Skillet Creamy Artichoke Chicken Marsala and Orzo makes for the best any night of the week dinner that feels extra special. Lightly breaded chicken seared until golden with nutty browned butter. The chicken is finished in a simple marsala wine pan sauce with fried artichokes and orzo pasta. And a major bonus…it’s all made entirely in one skillet. Every spoonful is layered with delicious, spring flavors, lemony fried artichokes, and creamy pasta. The perfect way to spend a relaxing night in the kitchen with family and friends.
I know I’ve said it before, but I really love a one skillet dinner. It takes the effort and stress out of the busy weeknight dinner. And for whatever reason, they’re always layered with so many delicious flavors. And that’s definitely the case with this chicken marsala which I adapted a bit for spring.
Back in the fall, I made a chicken marsala with mushrooms. It turned out so delicious and it’s been one of my favorite recipes I’ve shared in a long while. Basically, I wanted to adapt that recipe to be a little more fitting for spring. And that’s when I had the idea to also include a little orzo pasta into the mix.
Yes, orzo pasta, dinner all in one! So, I tried, and well, long story short, it turned out beyond delicious. Pasta is never a bad idea…
Here are the quick and simple details…
If you love a good chicken marsala, you’ll love this slight twist even more. It’s all about the lemony fried artichokes and or course that orzo pasta.
Start with the chicken. If you’ve made chicken parmesan this is very similar. Just dredge the chicken through a mix of flour, then pan-sear it in a hot skillet. This allows the chicken to form a nice golden crust on the outside. Using thin chicken cutlets is key. The thin chicken cooks evenly and browns nicely in a short amount of time.
Tip: if your grocery store does not carry chicken cutlets, as a swap, try asking your butcher to pound out chicken breasts for you. This is super easy to do at home, but truthfully…it’s just not that much fun. The butcher can quickly pound out the chicken and save you the trouble…and the mess.
Pan-sear the chicken, then add in the butter. The butter browns around the chicken creating an even more delicious flavor.
Now the artichokes, the best part! The key is frying them in a little butter before adding anything else to the skillet. They’ll get a little crispy and take on a pretty golden brown color.
Once the artichokes have had time to crisp up, toss in the shallots, garlic, and lots of thyme. Again, allow that butter to brown, creating an even more delicious flavor.
Also, if you like, you could easily replace the artichokes with asparagus or broccoli. I think both would be delicious!
At this point, just add in the wine, simmer until reduced, then stir in the cream and a light squeeze of lemon juice. I find this brightens and lightens the flavors up a bit. Allow everything to simmer and thicken into a delicious creamy sauce.
Finish it up.
And then, that’s it.
I like to top with fresh thyme, then serve this up immediately. As the orzo sits, it will continue to soak up the sauce, so this is really best to enjoy right after cooking. But don’t worry the leftovers are still delicious too!
Perfect for just about any night of the week. I love how quickly and easily this comes together. It really is one of those “no fuss”, easy, delicious dinners that everyone loves. Hoping it quickly becomes a staple dinner for you guys!
Looking for other springtime dinners? Here are some of my favorites:
Spinach and Artichoke Pita Grilled Cheese
One Pot Baked Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese
20 Minute Orzo Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Burrata
Lastly, if you make this One Skillet Creamy Artichoke Chicken Marsala and Orzo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet Creamy Artichoke Chicken Marsala and Orzo
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 920 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets, or 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 12 ounces (1-2 jars) marinated artichokes, drained
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup dry marsala wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken through the flour mix, pressing to adhere.2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon butter and allow the butter to brown around the chicken, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the artichokes. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes or until golden. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the shallots, garlic, thyme, and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the orzo. Cook another 2 minutes. 4. Pour in the wine and broth. Cook 10-12 minutes until the orzo is al dente, then pour in the cream. Add the chicken and lemon juice to the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes or until warmed through. 5. Serve the chicken and orzo topped with fresh thyme. Eat!
I have made this several times and liked it, but felt it was lacking dimension. Last night I found I didn’t have a jar of artichokes, but had a 12 ounce jar of “artichoke salad” (marinated artichokes, piquillo peppers and green olives). Substituting that for the plain artichokes moved this from four stars to five in my book. My husband even said “is this particularly good tonight, or am I just extra hungry?”
Hey Paula,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! Have a great weekend:)
Hi Tieghan, any chance you can give me how much chicken this would be in weight…maybe a pound? Thanks! Becky
Hey Becky,
It’s about 1 pound of chicken:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Unbelievable recipe! Doubled the shallots and added some Bulgarian cheese to the finished product. Incredibly creamy and toothsome.
Hey Kristin,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend!! xT
You’ve done it again! This had SO much flavor. A few edits, though: I needed to add more liquid as the sauce was evaporating too much for my liking as the orzo cooked. Added more Marsala (!) and stock.
Also added a package of cremini mushrooms – added some more richness, and added even MORE artichokes (we’re a big artichoke fan family…)
So good, so good!
Hey David,
Happy Wednesday!! Thank you so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad it was delish! xT
Loved this. Diced the chicken before tossing it in the four mix, and substituted 6 ounces of low fat cream cheese for heavy cream. Yum.
Hey there,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it:)
What can i use besides heavy cream in this recipe ? Lactose intolerant !
Hi Jan,
A non-dairy milk that you enjoy will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This is one of my favorite recipes! It uses one pan, cooks quickly and has a lot of taste!
I had most of the ingredients at home – just had to pick up the marinated artichoke hearts – definitely use 2 jars if they are small. I even used the marinade from the artichokes as part of what was required for chicken broth (added enough broth for the 1 1/2 cups). Very yummy!
Hey Sharon,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) 🐣🍭
I made this for dinner tonight and Oh My!!! So, so delicious! Served with crusty baguette and my homemade pesto and it was absolutely perfect. Followed the recipe to a tee. My chicken was bone in, skin on thighs. Added a couple to four minutes cooking time to them to ensure proper doneness. You must try this recipe❤️
Hi Rita,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Delicious recipe! Only slight disappointment was that I added extra marsala wine (marsala is my favorite) but I didn’t really taste any of it. Any tricks to make sure the final dish has the marsala flavor?
Hi Nicole,
Thanks so much for making this dish!! So sorry to hear you didn’t taste the marsala wine. I’m not sure why that would have happened! Was there anything that was adjusted? xT