The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
I made this on a Tuesday when the stovetop was already full and I wanted nobody asking me what’s for dinner again.
One pan garlic chicken orzo is the dinner I make when I want creamy pasta and juicy chicken and I do not want to stand over a stove. Everything goes in one baking dish. Raw orzo, broth, cream, garlic, spinach, chicken on top. Foil on. Oven does the rest.
No boiling water. No separate skillet. Just one dish and a lot of cheese at the end.
Why This One Works
The orzo cooks right in the liquid, and that’s the whole trick. It soaks up the broth and cream as it bakes, so the starch from the pasta thickens the sauce on its own. No roux, no cornstarch, nothing to stir.
The foil matters more than it looks. Covered for the first 30 minutes, the dish steams, and that’s what cooks the orzo through and keeps the chicken from drying out. Skip the foil and the top layer of orzo stays hard while the liquid disappears.
Cheese goes on after the foil comes off. Put it on at the start and it just melts into the liquid and disappears. Add it at the end and you get that bubbly, browned top.
First time I forgot the foil and ended up with crunchy orzo.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a 9 x 13 baking dish, add the uncooked orzo, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir it so the orzo sits evenly.
- Add the fresh spinach and place the chicken breasts on top.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and add the parmesan and shredded mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and the chicken is done.
Time and Servings
- Cook time: 35-40 minutes
- Prep: about 10 minutes
- Serves: 4
Tips
- Cover it tight. Crimp the foil around the edges. A loose cover lets steam out and the orzo suffers.
- Chicken is done at 165°F in the thickest part. Check it. Breast sizes vary a lot, which is why the finish is a 5 to 10 minute range and not one number.
- Big, thick breasts? Slice them in half horizontally or pound them a bit so they cook at the same pace as the pasta.
- Let it sit a few minutes before serving. The sauce looks loose straight out of the oven and tightens up as it rests.
- Pile the spinach in without worrying. It wilts down to almost nothing.
Variations
- Sun-dried tomatoes: a handful tucked in with the orzo. I’d do this one.
- Extra lemon: a squeeze over the top right before serving. Brightens the whole thing.
- Swapping the cream for milk: I’d skip it. The sauce comes out thin and the whole dish loses that rich feel.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
Don’t assemble this and bake it later. The orzo sits in the liquid and swells before it ever hits the oven, and the texture goes soft and gluey. Bake it fresh.
Leftovers are fine. Fridge for a few days. Orzo keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, so add a splash of broth or milk when you reheat it and cover the dish so it doesn’t dry out.
FAQ
Do you need to cook the orzo first for one pan garlic chicken orzo?
No. Raw orzo goes straight into the dish with the broth and cream and cooks as it bakes.
Why is my orzo still hard?
Usually the foil wasn’t tight enough, or the oven runs cool. Cover it back up, give it another 5 minutes, and check again.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes, but I’d keep breasts for this one. Thighs release more fat into the dish and the sauce can turn greasy. If you do swap, check the chicken for doneness since thighs cook differently than breasts.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Thaw it and squeeze out the water first. Otherwise it waters down the sauce.
What do I serve with it?
A green salad or garlic bread. It’s already a full dinner, so keep the side simple.
Final Thoughts
This is a weeknight dish that doesn’t ask much of you. Serve it straight from the baking dish with a crisp salad and something to mop up the sauce, like crusty bread. Leave the pot of pasta water out of your evening.
One Pan Garlic Chicken Orzo
Creamy, cheesy garlic chicken orzo baked in a single 9 x 13 dish. Raw orzo, broth, cream, spinach, and chicken go in together, then the oven does the work.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a 9 x 13 baking dish, add the uncooked orzo, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Add the fresh spinach and place the chicken breasts on top.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and add the parmesan and shredded mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for another 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and the chicken is done.
Notes
Bake covered for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 5-10 minutes. Add the parmesan and mozzarella after removing the foil. Chicken is done at 165°F in the thickest part. Let the dish rest a few minutes before serving so the sauce tightens up.
