Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Orzo is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender seared chicken breasts cooked in a luscious creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach. Combined with perfectly cooked orzo pasta, this skillet meal offers a comforting Italian-inspired dinner that’s quick and easy to prepare, ideal for serving a family of four.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce and Orzo
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Season and Sear Chicken: Season the chicken breasts evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Toast Orzo: In the same skillet, add the butter and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo pasta and toast it for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Cook Orzo with Broth and Tomatoes: Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and pour in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the broth.
- Add Cream, Cheese, and Spinach: Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and incorporated into the sauce. Add the fresh chopped spinach and cook just until wilted, stirring occasionally. If using, sprinkle in the red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the creamy sauce over them. Let everything simmer together over low heat for an additional 2 minutes to meld flavors and warm the chicken through.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the dish with fresh chopped parsley before serving. Serve hot straight from the skillet, pairing with extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- To ensure even cooking, pound chicken breasts to an even thickness before seasoning.
- You can use dried sun-dried tomatoes; just rehydrate them in warm water for 10 minutes before chopping.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a plant-based cream alternative.
- Adding red pepper flakes is optional but adds a nice subtle heat to balance the creaminess.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to avoid curdling the cream sauce.
