High Protein Chicken Orzo

High Protein Chicken Orzo is the ultimate weeknight hero, blending creamy, protein-packed goodness with vibrant veggies in a single pan. Perfect for busy dinners, meal prep, or a healthy indulgence, this One Pot Chicken Orzo is as easy to make as it is delicious.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 546 kcal

Ingredients

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders cubed into 1” pieces
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon olive oil divided
½ cup yellow onion chopped about 1/2 a medium onion
2 cups fresh asparagus spears cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 garlic cloves
8 ounces dry orzo
2 ½ cups chicken broth low or no salt
2 sprigs fresh thyme can sub 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
⅓ cup half and half can sub milk
⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan
2 cups fresh spinach
Chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine chicken chunks, garlic powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, toss to coat.
In a large high sided pan over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the chicken. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
In the same pan, (no need to clean it!) add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the asparagus and sauté for 2 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside to the plate with the cooked chicken.
Add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the orzo and garlic and cook until the orzo starts to toast slightly, another 3 minutes.
Add in the broth and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan. (Tip: You can microwave your broth before adding to the pan to speed up cook time) Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 7 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring halfway.
Stir in the cooked chicken, asparagus, half and half, parmesan, spinach and thyme. Heat for one to two minutes more until heated through and spinach is wilted.
Serve immediately garnished with chopped parsley and extra grated parmesan.

Notes

This dish is best when fresh. Leftovers tend to be drier, less creamy, and can clump together. For best quality, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in a covered pot on the stove, over low heat, adding some extra broth to loosen it back up.
There are different sizes of orzo pasta, and they may have different cooking times.The size most commonly found in the supermarkets around me cook in about 8 minutes. This recipe was made using Barilla orzo. Check the packaging of orzo for cook times and choose one with an 7-9 minute cook time.
This orzo can be made with chunks of boneless skinless thighs, but you may need to adjust the cooking time for the chicken. To make this an even faster dish, you can skip the first 2 steps and use pulled or chopped cooked chicken folded in at the end.
Other vegetables that would be good in this would be zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms.
Chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth.

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