This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
The perfect winter dinner—quick, easy, colorful, and so comforting. Grainy Dijon–coated chicken is pan-seared in butter, then roasted together with orzo, carrots, celery, fresh herbs, and broth. The result is chicken-soup vibes with mustardy roasted chicken, all cooked together in one easy pot.
When I’m cooking dinner with my mom in mind, I always keep things simple—she can be a little picky. And when I really want to comfort her, I usually make something along the lines of chicken soup or a basic roasted chicken with rice.
She’s always loved chicken noodle soup more than most. When I was a kid, she could happily eat bowl after bowl all winter long. It was her favorite lunch, always with a side of air-popped popcorn.
Since I started sharing my cooking with her, she’s fallen in love with the combination of chicken and orzo. When creating this recipe, I wanted a simple mustard-roasted chicken with lemony orzo, but with extra broth so it eats almost like a cozy chicken soup.
I love a brothy orzo dish, and roasting chicken with white wine, chicken broth, and butter creates the most incredible flavor. Add in the orzo and vegetables, and suddenly it really does feel like chicken soup in a pot—with golden mustard chicken on top.
It’s easily one of the simplest dinners to make, and it’s so good served with a crusty loaf of warm ciabatta on the side.
These are the details
The Ingredients
- Dijon mustard
- whole grain mustard
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- crushed fennel seed
- salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- chicken breasts or thighs
- salted butter
- an onion
- carrots
- celery
- dry orzo pasta
- fresh thyme
- white wine – try Lanark Lane Sauvignon Blanc
- broth
- lemon juice
- fresh parsley
Kitchen Tools
For this dish, you’ll need a large round Dutch oven or oval Dutch oven.
These are the steps
Step 1: Season the Chicken
In a bowl, toss the chicken with the Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, paprika, garlic powder, fennel, and a generous pinch of salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
I love adding flavor right from the very start.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside while you cook the vegetables.
Step 3: Cook the Vegetables and Orzo
To the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, orzo, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until the orzo is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
It should be smelling really good at this point.
Step 4: Add the Liquids
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring everything to a boil.
Step 5: Add the Chicken Back
Nestle the chicken and any accumulated juices back into the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley.
Transfer the pot to the oven and bake. You want the chicken sitting on top of the orzo with plenty of broth still in the pot so everything stays nice and cozy.
Serving
When the dish comes out of the oven, finish with extra fresh thyme, parsley, or dill.
I love serving this with warm ciabatta on the side and a little grated Parmesan. It’s a true crowd-pleaser—beautiful straight from the oven and even better smelling.
Perfect for easy weeknight dinners or casual entertaining, this dish really brightens the table on a cold day!
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken Souvlaki and Potatoes
Browned Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Cheese Ravioli
One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Mustard Chicken 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 Pot Mustard Chicken and Orzo
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
- salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup white wine, I use Lanark Lane Sauvignon Blanc
- 4 cups broth
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425°F.2. Toss chicken with both mustards, paprika, garlic powder, fennel seed, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.3. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove.4. Add onions, carrots, celery, orzo, and thyme. Cook until orzo is toasted, 2 minutes. Add wine, then broth; season with salt & pepper and bring to a boil.5. Return chicken and juices to the pot. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Bake uncovered 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with fresh thyme.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I really like this recipe. The flavor is lovely and I felt it was super simple. I am a big fan and cook one of your recipes once a week. It is always nice sharing with the family. Thank you for all the wonderful meals you share with all of us!
Hey Anna,
Happy Friday! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your thoughts—so happy it worked for you!
This recipe grows on you! At first I thought it was ok but now cannot wait to make it again. Leftovers very tasty! Thanks for great winter recipe.
Hey Rexanne,
Fantastic! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it!
This was nothing to write home about that’s for sure!
Sorry to hear this, Colleen. Thanks for your comment. If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know!
Unfortunately this was not a hit
Sorry to hear this, Harmony. Thanks for trying the recipe!
This was hit with whole family!
Hey Sara,
Happy Monday! I’m grateful you made this recipe and for your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
Wasn’t a fan!
Hi Ora,
Sorry to hear this! If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know!
The flavors in this are very good, even my 11 and 13 year olds liked it. When I make it again, I will cut the 2 chicken breasts in to 4 pieces, instead of 2. Delish!
Hey Julie,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a great weekend!
The perfect cozy meal for a winter day! So flavorful and good! I used what I had on hand, chicken thighs, Pinot Grigio instead of sovereign blanc, no celery or fennel seed, added Parmesan cheese on top before baking in the oven. Highly recommend!
Hey Shelly,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a great weekend!
I don’t feel like everything cooked even leave so it felt like something’s were not quite done yet while other things were dried out. I didn’t really taste the mustard and felt like this was kind of a mess overall.
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
I really enjoy making your one pot meals, this one was delicious and it turned out great! The sauvignon blanc was a nice touch and I also sprinkled a little parmesan reggiano over the top. My husband really enjoyed the meal too. Thank you!
Hey Mary,
Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for making it!
Have a great weekend!
I made this for my family and it was so flavorful and a rich twist on chicken noodle soup. So glad we tried it tonight! Thank you
Thanks so much, Lindsay!!
This wasn’t delicious and didn’t cook well at all!
Thanks for the feedback, Eliza. Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this dish!
This was an odd dish – the final result was kind of disappointing honestly
Hey Kara,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
This was delicious! I had my doubts that it was all going to come together in the oven in 15 minutes, but the orzo was tender and the chicken cooked perfectly. It was a hit!
Hey Sara,
Happy Friday! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for making it!
I found this quite delicious. The mustard mix on the chicken plus the comfort vibe of chicken noodle soup was an excellent twist.
Hi there,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
Unfortunately I won’t be making this again.
Sorry to hear this, Rebecca. Thanks for trying the recipe. If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know!