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This One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo is the perfect winter dinner…quick, easy, hearty, and delicious! Pan-seared Italian seasoned chicken breasts in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce. Cooked together with orzo pasta for a complete dinner made in just ONE skillet. Truly one of those all-in-one dinners that everyone at the table will love. Great for a weeknight, but equally fancy enough to serve up at your next holiday dinner. You can’t go wrong with this warming skillet dinner.
It’s hard to believe that we’re entering the second week of December and are only just two and half weeks out from Christmas…and only three and half weeks from the New Year. Where is the time going!?
As I type this up I’m getting ready to take-off for NYC. By the time you all read this, I will be in the city. I have to say, I’m really excited for this trip, but equally excited to return home on Thursday, and finally be HOME for the remainder of the year. I know many of you travel for work weekly, but as you all know, I’m such a homebody at heart. So I’m excited to have some time to enjoy the remainder of December with my family. Anyone else in the same mindset?
With that in mind, I’m always looking for the easiest recipes this time of year. The days are incredibly short and things are busy between work and holiday prep. Quick and simple dinners that everyone at the dinner table will eat are what I strive to create.
Enter this skillet creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and orzo.
To make this all-in-one dinner…
Start with a skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe skillet or even dutch oven works great. You’ll want to season the chicken up with a few dried herbs and spices…oregano, paprika, and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Then sear the chicken until it’s golden.
PS. if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, check out the current Staub giveaway we’re hosting on Instagram!
Next up, remove the chicken from the skillet, add a bit of butter, plus some shallots, garlic, and orzo. I love toasting the dry orzo pasta in butter for additional flavor. The butter browns and the orzo takes on a delicious nutty flavor.
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Moving along, add a splash of white wine. Then add pretty much everything else. Cream, a little parmesan cheese, fresh spinach and of course sun-dried tomatoes. Slide the chicken right into the sauce, then transfer the whole skillet right to the oven. Bake for about ten to fifteen minutes…
And then? Dinner is done. Yes, this is that SIMPLE.
So how does it taste?
I know simple skillet dinners can get a bad rap for being boring, but this is anything but boring. The sauce is creamy, hinted with lemon, garlic, and just a touch buttery too. The orzo is perfectly cooked and has a little nutty flavor.
And the chicken has a wonderful herbed flavor with a bit of heat from the crushed red pepper. It’s everything you’d expect out of a multi-step recipe, but made all in one skillet…and all SO GOOD.
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete dinner all-in-one. You have your protein, your carbs, and even your vegetables. I can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for holiday dinners with friends and family. I’ll be remaking this as soon as I get home. My family members are slowly starting to make their way back to Colorado for Christmas, so this is going to be on repeat.
Looking for other one skillet dinner ideas…check out these.
If you make this one skillet creamy sun-dried tomato 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 Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 530 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or small thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
- juice of 1 lemon
- fresh rosemary, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. To the same skillet, add the butter and shallot, cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and orzo, cooking until lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cook 3-5 minutes, then add the cream, mustard, parmesan, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, stirring until the spinach has wilted. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.4. Serve the chicken topped with lemon juice and rosemary, if desired.
I made this tonight & subbed a thick flaky Cod for the chicken. It was DELICIOUS! Seconds were served & there were no leftovers! Easy, tasty & pretty quick for a weeknight meal.
Hey Dianna,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you!🧑🎄
My husband and I made this tonight for dinner. It was soooo good. Will definitely be adding it to the regular meals rotation. Our son said it was super yummy, even though he claims he doesn’t like sun dried tomatoes or spinach 😀.
Hey there,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you!🧑🎄
I made this tonight and it was quick, easy and super yummy. The only sub I made was half and half for the cream.
I can wait to try more of your recipes!
Hey Elissa,
Wonderful!!🎅 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
So good. Will make again.
Hey Shelley,
Wonderful!!🎅 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
Yummy
Thanks Raquel!!
This was amazing! Definitely adding to my rotation! I doubled the recipe to have leftovers for lunch. Everyone loved it. The only thing I tweaked was by adding a little more salt and pepper to the entire dish before putting it in the oven. Highly recommend!
Hey Tina,
Love it!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Happy Monday!🎄
Wowowow! This was KILLER. 10/10. No room for improvement. Just outstanding. Thank you thank you! Def a new staple in my home.
Hey Bri,
Love it!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Happy Monday!🎄
Question! Does adding the wine after the orzo make the orzo take on the alcohol of the wine before its boiled off?
Hey Katie,
It doesn’t:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
This was delish!
Only change I made was to use sun dried tomatoes not in oil because that’s what I had – still amazing! Thank you!
Hey Maggie,
Love it!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Happy Monday!🎄
Can coconut milk be used in place of the cream? Thank you!
Hi Diane,
Yes, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well! xx
Can I use a non dairy substitute for the heavy cream?
Hi Heather,
Yes, any non-dairy milk will work just fine for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I cannot have any type of pasta or rice. Could I use zucchini noodles in place of these?
Thank you–
Hey Mindy,
I’ve not tried this recipe using zucchini noodles, so I’m not sure what you would need to adjust for the liquid. So sorry! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx
I would like to add more orzo. Would you be able to tell me how much more wine/cream/water to add if I added another cup of orzo?
Hi Andrea,
If you are doubling the orzo you will have to double the liquids, I would just be very careful and make sure your skillet is large enough to hold it all. I hope you love the recipe! xx
We made this tonight. It’s so flavorful and amazing!!!!! This will be a Monthly staple in my home. I’ve already sent it out to my entire family and friends.
Hey Jenni,
Happy Monday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Thanks for your comment! xT
I didn’t find Orzo anywhere, can I use pearl couscous, instead?
Hey Iris,
Arborio rice is going to work best for you in place of the orzo. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This looks delicious- is there something I can replace the Dijon mustard with?
Hey Allison,
Thanks so much! You can just skip the mustard:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hey there! If I don’t have orzo, could I sub a different type of pasta? Would it just have to be cooked separately, then added to the creaminess? Thanks!
Hey Mira,
For best results and to follow the recipe as written, I would use Arborio rice or another mini noodle like stars. I hope you love this dish, let me know if you give it a try! xx