Description
Comfort food meets bright Mediterranean flavor: creamy sun-dried tomato chicken with tender orzo. Ready in about 30 minutes—perfect for a weeknight dinner! 🍽️
Ingredients
– 500g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 🍗
– 200g orzo pasta (about 1 cup) 🍝
– 120g sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), drained and chopped 🍅
– 1 small onion, finely chopped 🧅
– 2 garlic cloves, minced 🧄
– 240ml heavy cream (1 cup) 🥛
– 120ml chicken broth (1/2 cup) 🍲
– 60g grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup) 🧀
– 2 tbsp olive oil 🫒
– 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional) 🍶
– 1 tsp dried oregano 🌿
– Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 🧂
– Handful of baby spinach or chopped parsley for garnish 🌱
– Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional) 🍋
Instructions
1 Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2 While the orzo cooks, season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and half the oregano.
3 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
4 Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5 Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste (if using). Cook for 1–2 minutes to release flavors.
6 Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and remaining oregano. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2–3 minutes to thicken slightly.
7 Add the cooked orzo and grated Parmesan to the sauce, stirring to combine. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and heat through, coating everything with the creamy sauce.
8 If desired, squeeze in lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
9 Stir in baby spinach or sprinkle chopped parsley and more Parmesan on top. Serve hot, garnished with extra herbs or a lemon wedge.
10 Enjoy your creamy sun-dried tomato chicken orzo immediately for best texture and flavor! 🍽️