30-Minute, One-Pan Creamy Hen Orzo

Creamy rooster orzo is a fast and straightforward weeknight meal that takes simply half-hour and also you solely want one pan. This comforting recipe options a lot of veggies (cherry tomatoes and spinach) in a super-flavorful creamy sauce made with basil pesto. Make this easy restaurant-quality rooster dinner at residence – and it would turn into a brand new household favourite for busy weekdays!

One-pan creamy rooster orzo

For those who’re trying to up your recreation with rooster dinners, this vibrant and colourful one-pot recipe is a must-try. Though this tasty creamy rooster orzo takes solely half-hour to make, it makes a lovely presentation and tastes like one thing you’d order at a fine-dining Italian restaurant. It is a successful combo of substances: skinless boneless rooster breasts, orzo pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, basil pesto, garlic, and cream. Juicy and tender rooster (seared with olive oil, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning) is smothered in a luscious cream sauce made with basil pesto. For those who love 30-minute one-pan rooster recipes equivalent to this one, do not miss rooster gnocchi with spinach and mushrooms in addition to this straightforward garlic butter rooster with zucchini and corn.

Why you may adore it

• Filled with veggies. This cozy and comforting rooster orzo is filled with veggies, equivalent to cherry tomatoes and spinach. You possibly can even double the quantity of veggies and add some other veggies you’re keen on!
• Tremendous-flavorful. Basil pesto mixed with cream makes a scrumptious sauce for orzo. Do-it-yourself basil pesto is all the time the most effective, however the store-bought variety works, too.
• Minimal cleanup. Every little thing is cooked in a single pan (use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed giant skillet), even the orzo!

The substances

• Hen. I used skinless boneless rooster breasts sliced into strips. You may also use skinless boneless rooster thighs.
• Orzo. Orzo is an Italian pasta that appears like long-grain rice.
• Spinach. I take advantage of contemporary spinach and wilted it proper within the skillet with orzo. You may also use frozen spinach – thawed and drained of any liquid. Or, use kale or arugula as a substitute.
• Cherry tomatoes. Slice cherry tomatoes in half. You may also use common tomatoes.
• Garlic. I used contemporary minced garlic. It provides aroma and pungency.
• Heavy cream provides creaminess and richness to the rooster orzo. You possibly can lighten it up through the use of half-and-half as a substitute.
• Basil pesto – use store-bought variety or make basil pesto from scratch.
• Olive oil is used for searing the rooster.
• Hen broth is added to prepare dinner the orzo. You may also use vegetable or beef broth (or inventory). Or, merely use water.
• Seasonings embrace smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, purple pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Cooking suggestions

• It is an ideal recipe for utilizing up leftover rooster! Throw leftover cooked rooster or shredded rooster along with the creamy orzo, warmth it by, and serve! Rotisserie rooster is one other “shortcut” ingredient.
• The sauce will thicken as this dish cools. On this case, add a splash of heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, or rooster broth to skinny it out earlier than serving.
• Use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet equivalent to a cast-iron skillet or a good-quality stainless-steel pan. This may assist keep away from the burn spots and can guarantee even cooking with out meals getting caught to the underside of the pan.
• Make this recipe gluten-free through the use of orzo clearly labeled as “gluten-free”.

What’s orzo?

Orzo is a short-cut pasta resembling long-grain rice in form.  It’s made out of flour, like typical pasta.  Usually, orzo is made with semolina (durum wheat used for making pasta).

What sort of orzo to make use of?

I favor the form of orzo that’s bigger in measurement. On this recipe, I used orzo by Delallo model, Quantity 65 reduce.

The best way to prepare dinner orzo?

Prepare dinner orzo in a 1:2 ratio (1 cup of orzo with 2 cups of rooster inventory or water) for about 10 minutes on simmer. You might need so as to add a small quantity of liquid on the finish if the orzo isn’t cooked to your liking.

What sort of rooster to make use of?

• Skinless, boneless rooster breast.  That is what I used on this recipe. Slice them into thinner strips.
• Skinless, boneless rooster thighs are actually juicy and forgiving to prepare dinner. They are going to work nice with creamy orzo.
• Hen tenderloins or tenders.  Hen tenders are tender, and small, and can prepare dinner equally to thinly sliced rooster breasts.
• Cooked rotisserie rooster is a good possibility, too.

Are you able to make it dairy-free?

• Use unsweetened coconut milk with out making any adjustments to this recipe.
• Cashew milk is one other nice possibility because it has a thicker consistency.
• Oat milk or almond milk ought to work too – you’ll in all probability have to scale back the quantity by half as these sorts of dairy-free milk have a thinner consistency, so regularly add them to the orzo in a lot smaller quantities than what the recipe requires.

Variations, substitutions, and add-ins

• Use completely different proteins. You possibly can simply add different proteins to this recipe, equivalent to sausage, shrimp, scallops, or salmon. You possibly can even use steak strips with this creamy orzo.
• Use extra veggies. This consists of sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, arugula, asparagus, or bell peppers.
• Add cheese. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan, Asiago, Gruyere, or Pecorino Romano cheese on high of the creamy rooster orzo.
• Add pine nuts as a topping. Since basil pesto is often made with pine nuts, it is solely logical to make use of entire pine nuts as a topping for this rooster orzo! They are going to add a nutty taste and a pleasant crunch! I wish to toast pine nuts briefly (and punctiliously!) within the oven for a good richer taste.
• Add different toppings, equivalent to contemporary herbs (basil, thyme, or oregano), chopped inexperienced onions, or chopped chives.
• Make it spicy. Purple pepper flakes will add warmth. Use these sparingly, to style, in order that they do not overwhelm the dish.

Storage and reheating suggestions

• Fridge. Retailer creamy rooster orzo in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. I don’t suggest freezing this dish.
• Reheat within the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated leftovers in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Style and reheat for 30 seconds extra, if wanted.
• Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat this dish in a big, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium warmth. When utilizing this methodology, add a small quantity of heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk to skinny out the sauce when reheating.

What to serve with rooster orzo

• Bread. A slice of crusty Italian garlic bread (or olive bread) is an ideal sidekick to creamy rooster orzo.
• Advisable salad recipes. Listed below are my private salad favorites: Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Avocado, Mozzarella, and Basil Pesto or this easy but scrumptious Arugula Salad with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, Lemon, and Balsamic Dressing.

Different orzo recipes you may like

This scrumptious rice-shaped pasta works effectively for one-pan recipes as a result of the orzo is so small that it may be simply cooked in the identical pan as the remainder of the substances. Orzo additionally pairs with any form of protein, equivalent to shrimp or rooster, and is a good ingredient for easy-to-make weeknight dinners.  Listed below are a few of my favorites:

• Creamy Hen Orzo with Butternut Squash and Spinach
• Italian Sausage Orzo Soup with Spinach and Portobello Mushrooms
• Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo with Sausage

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