Tuscan Chicken Orzo
Our Tuscan chicken orzo is loaded with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a rich, creamy Parmesan sauce.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound orzo pasta
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Slap Ya Mama
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups baby spinach, packed
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Cook orzo pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and chicken, then sprinkle in seasonings. Let cook for a few minutes before adding in the minced garlic.
- Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Into the same skillet, add in chicken broth, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and cornstarch. Stir to combine and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes. Let come to a slight boil then add the Parmesan cheese. Let cook until the cheese is melted.
- Add chicken back into the skillet and let cook for 5-6 minutes until chicken is completely cooked through and mixture is hot.
- Now, stir in spinach and let cook until spinach starts to wilt.
- Add in orzo pasta, stir to combine and serve.
Notes
- Cook the orzo al dente: Since the orzo will be stirred into the warm sauce at the end, cooking it al dente helps keep it from becoming too soft.
- Cut the chicken evenly: Cutting the chicken into roughly 1-inch pieces helps it cook more evenly.
- Don't skip the seasonings: The combination of paprika, basil, oregano, garlic salt, black pepper, and Slap Ya Mama gives the chicken a lot of its flavor.
- Use the same skillet: Cooking the sauce in the same skillet as the chicken helps carry all those savory flavors into the sauce.
- Don't rush the Parmesan: Let the cheese melt fully into the sauce before moving on to the next step.
- Keep an eye on the cream: Bring the sauce to a slight boil rather than letting it aggressively boil.
- Add the spinach near the end: Baby spinach wilts quickly, so there's no need to cook it for long.
- Stir the orzo in last: Adding the cooked orzo at the end helps keep the pasta from becoming overly soft.