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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.
Highly recommend! This recipe was so good. Just like all of Tieghan’s recipes. Super delicious and all in one skillet. I subbed the wine for chicken broth but other than that I followed it exactly as written.
Hey Cassidy,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a winner! Have a great Wednesday! xx
Such a flavorful and easy dish! I used chicken broth because I didn’t have wine. This will definitely be in rotation!
Hey Shalista,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I’m thrilled to hear that it turned out well for you:)
This really was a winner in all ways! One pot, simple ingredients/directions, flavorful and a crowd pleaser for my whole family.
We will be making this again!
Hey Chelsea,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I’m thrilled to hear that it turned out well for you:)
I love 1-pot dinners! This is delicious, a little spicy, and pretty easy to pull together. I wanted to make a larger batch, so prepped 8 chicken thighs and a little more orzo. Due to the additional portions, I transferred to a lasagna dish and it came out great. We will be having this again very soon.
Hey there,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
This is a savory, flavorful, easy to make dish that we’ve now made multiple times! It’s a huge hit with my crew!
Hey Kristin,
I appreciate you making this recipe and I’m thrilled to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend! xx
Amazing! Will be a family staple.
Hey Deena,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
This recipe was absolutely delicious! My entire family said it was a top ten recipe. It was not difficult at all to make. I didn’t have wine so used chicken broth. I will definitely be making this again.
Hey Debbie,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
Made this recipe this evening and it’s delicious! I’m dairy free, so left out the parmesan and used an oatmilk rue (1c oatmilk, 2Tbls flour and 2Tbl myokois butter melted) instead of cream. It was great!
Hey Brianna,
Happy Monday!!💐 Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Loved the flavor of this and it was fairly simple to make. I went with the sundried tomatoes but I may try with fresh tomatoes next time out of curiosity. Also, I used chicken tenders vs thighs orbreasts and it turned out great.
Hey Melanie,
Happy Monday!!💐 Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Such a yummy dinner! I cubed up the chicken breast so I just finished it on the stove instead of using the oven. I also added in frozen petite green peas because I love them, and they added some freshness/brightness to balance the richness 🙂 I cook for one person so I’ll have leftovers for a few days. Will definitely add this to my dinner rotation!
Hey Emma,
Happy Monday!!💐 Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Can you make this recipe without putting it in the oven? Just cooking longer over stovetop?
Hey Gabby,
Sure, that would work well for you! Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it! xx
Could this meal be frozen? Family loves it and looking to make ahead for an easy frozen meal.
Hey Michelle,
Honestly, I’m not sure this would be the best meal to freeze. Checkout my freezer friendly section for some ideas:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/category/recipes/type-of-meal/freezer-friendly/
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
This was soooo liquidy and felt like there wasn’t nearly enough orzo. Take was great but next time I’d add more orzo than just one cup
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear it was liquidy. Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? Let me know how I can help! xx
Hi,
Couls this be done in a slow cooker?
Thanks
Liam
Hey Liam,
So sorry, I’ve never tested this recipe in the slow cooker so I’m not sure the results here! Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
So good! Added portobello mushrooms with the spinach and sun dried tomatoes. Will definitely have this recipe in my rotation.
Hey Stacy,
Wonderful!!😊 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was delish! xT