Creamy Chicken & Orzo Pasta
Creamy chicken and orzo pasta is a cozy, comforting one pot meal you can have on your table in less than an hour. The little pasta cooks with the aromatics and broth to absorb so much flavor and keep your life- and your kitchen clean up- easier!
With fall being right around the corner, I know it means two things.
Busy weeknights are back with running around to Scout meetings and other activities with still trying to make sure homework and my work gets done on time.
And with school and activities starting up again, it also means the start of cold and flu season.
Which of course means comfort foods.
And this creamy chicken and orzo soup is a variation on the chicken noodle combo that we love anytime- sick or well.
It’s chock full of slightly brothy pasta, diced veggies, tender chicken and cheese.
And with only one pot, you can make dinner and clean it up quick!
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Olive oil– To saute the veggies in
- Mirepoix– An equal amount of diced onion, celery, and carrots
- Garlic– Minced
- Broth– Chicken broth is best. You could use low sodium if you are worried about it being too salty
- Chicken– Chopped rotisserie chicken
- Orzo pasta– You could use another small pasta like ditalini or even stars
- Seasonings– Minced parsley, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
- Parmesan cheese– Shredded or grated
How to Make
This creamy chicken and orzo pasta is so easy to make!
Just heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
When the oil is nice and hot, add the onion, celery, and carrots.
Saute the veggies until the onion’s translucent, stirring often.
Then stir in the garlic and let it cook another 60 seconds or just until it releases its fragrance.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Stir the chicken and pasta into the pot.
Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the parsley and remaining seasonings.
Let the orzo simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15- 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid.
Serve warm with parmesan cheese on top, and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave until warm.
Tips and Tricks
- You could substitute butter for olive oil if desired. Just use unsalted butter or reduce the amount of salt you would add to pasta if using salted butter.
- For some extra veggies, you could stir in frozen peas or even saute some mushrooms with the mirepoix.
- The creaminess of the dish is two fold. It comes from the pasta releasing its starch right into the broth and the cheese. You do not want to drain any broth off the orzo so it’s important that you use only the amount called for.
Other Comforting Chicken Noodle Recipes
Creamy chicken and orzo pasta is a cozy dish full of comforting flavors and textures.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other comforting chicken noodle recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this CREAMY CHICKEN AND ORZO PASTA, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Creamy Chicken & Orzo Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 med yellow onion peeled & diced
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 lb orzo pasta
- 1 tbsp finely minced parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt & pepper to taste
- shredded, or grated, Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot set over medium heat. When hot add the onion, celery, and carrots. Stir together and saute until the onion's translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another 60 seconds.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 med yellow onion, 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup diced carrot, 5 cloves garlic
- Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add both the chicken and pasta to the pot and stir.8 cups chicken broth, 2 1/2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, 1 lb orzo pasta
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the parsley and remaining seasonings, and stir together until evenly combined.1 tbsp finely minced parsley, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, salt & pepper
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15- 20 minutes- until the vegetables are tender and the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Serve warm with parmesan cheese on top, and enjoy!shredded, or grated, Parmesan cheese
Notes
- You could substitute butter for olive oil if desired. Just use unsalted butter or reduce the amount of salt you would add to pasta if using salted butter.
- For some extra veggies, you could stir in frozen peas or even saute some mushrooms with the mirepoix.
- The creaminess of the dish is two fold. It comes from the pasta releasing its starch right into the broth and the cheese. You do not want to drain any broth off the orzo so it's important that you use only the amount called for.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from The Modern Proper
Quick is good in my books, and this orzo and creamy chicken dish does the trick for me. Saving to give it a whirl.
Found your post on Fiesta Friday. My entries this week are numbered #19+20
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