Creamy Chicken Orzo Pot (Printable)
Tender chicken and vegetables in a creamy orzo pasta. A hearty one-pot meal ready in under an hour.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, diced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Grains & Pasta
06 - 1 1/4 cups orzo pasta
→ Dairy
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
10 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Pantry
11 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried parsley
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season diced chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pot, and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - Add butter to the same pot. Once melted, stir in onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste and form a roux.
04 - Gradually whisk in chicken broth to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir in orzo, garlic powder, thyme, and parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
05 - Return the cooked chicken and frozen peas to the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes to heat everything through.
06 - Pour in heavy cream and add Parmesan cheese. Stir until the sauce is creamy and cheese has melted. Adjust final seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It takes all the cozy, creamy flavors of a classic pot pie but skips the finicky pastry crust entirely.
- Everything cooks in one pot, meaning you get maximum flavor with almost zero cleanup afterwards.
02 -
- The sauce will continue to thicken as the pasta sits, so remove it from the heat a tiny bit before you think it is perfect.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan if possible, as the pre-shredded variety does not melt as smoothly into the cream.
03 -
- Reserve a splash of pasta water just in case the sauce gets too thick, though the broth usually handles it.
- A splash of lemon juice right at the end brightens all the creamy flavors without making it taste sour.