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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!
So delicious! Thank you for the serving slide bar which made it easier for me to cook enough for just me and my sweet. The flavors were so on point. We loved it. Another one for the rotation.
Hi Resa,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays!?? xTieghan
I saw that this person thanked you for the slider bar to customize the size of recipes. I’m finding that while it accurately changes the quantities in the ingredients list, it doesn’t do so within the directions where specified amounts are given for part of an ingredient within the recipe (not just on your website but pretty much all of them that have this feature). I don’t know whether it is something that just needs those items within the instructions to be “marked” somehow for sizing or whether it is just a limitation of the programming.
Hi Sara,
Yes, that is correct, so if there is a water measurement in the instructions, you are just going to have to adjust it yourself:)
Made this last night for some friends just coming back from a cruise. Do not usually make recipes with cream, just try to make it with less calories, but so glad I decided to make this one. However, went to 3 groceries stores everyone one out of Orzo, so used medium shells, which actually was great because it scooped up some of that delicious sauce in every bite. The rest I followed exactly. Let me say my picky friends and I loved it. Definitely on my make again list. Thanks, loved it?
Hey Sue,
Thank you so very much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!??
This got ten stars in my household. I substituted with white wine I had on hand, and this came wonderfully! Definitely a meal I would consider preparing for guest occasions!
Hi Briana,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
Loved this recipe and it is very flavorful! I did not have the artichokes so I added spinach and it was delicious and very easy to make. I cooked it at 7 am, just before work.
Hi Adriana,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this last night with bone-in chicken thighs because that’s what I had. I roasted them in the oven til done, adding them at the end. I also only had a very small amount of orzo (not even a half cup) so I toasted that and made up the rest with some rice which cooked nicely in the recipe as well. Everything else was according to the recipe. Wow! Really nice flavors and we totally enjoyed this dish.
Hi Edie,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Absolutely LOVED this and will be making again! Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Kate,
I love to hear that this recipe worked out for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was fantastic!! My whole family loved it. I added mushrooms because my husband doesn’t love artichokes but it actually toned the artichoke flavor down a little. I’m making it again this weekend for friends!
Hey Glenda,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
This is one of my favorites to make! Always a fan of one pan dinners. So many flavors and leftovers for the next day 🙂
Hey Amelia,
Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This is super yummy – a real comfort food. I had a problem with the amount of liquid and getting the orzo to cook? So I added a bit more stock/wine… and then after cooking a bit, added the cream… so then I think I had too much liquid? Oh well… still very tasty. I may cook the orzo in advance and add it to a cooked down sauce. 🙂
Hey Patricia,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! I would just follow the recipe as is, once the cream is added the orzo should be cooked. Have the best day! xTieghan
A review is way overdue– is my husband and I’s *favorite* meal. We have gone through multiple bottles of marsala and many jars of artichokes, just to make this. We’ve made it for casual weeknight dinners, and also for fancier meals with family. We do prefer using dried thyme over fresh for this.
Sometimes, we crave it late nights… and when that happens, we skip the chicken and make a batch of the orzo. 🙂 It hits the spot. This recipe is just so, so good!
Hey Taylor! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I really appreciate it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! I’m a huge fan of one pan meals and this one is definitely a keeper.
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
I just had a question, if I don’t have the marsala wine on hand could I skip this step or add something else that is not wine?
Hi there! I would add some chicken broth instead 🙂 xTieghan
Hi, i am making this recipe for friends on Saturday but can’t buy marsala wine anywhere, what can i substitute it with?
Hi Deborah,
Dry sherry would also work here. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Omg so good I’m making it again next week. Thank you. I did a star small noodle instead of orzo and bought two jars or marinated artichoke bruschetta which added a little something extra. Sooo yummy. Total home run. Wish I could post a pic. ♥️
Hi Michelle! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
Absolutely delicious. A total hit with my family
Hi there! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
Made this last night. It was great. I think next time I will add more artichokes and cherry tomatoes! Definitely another keeper! Thank you
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! ? xTieghan