This Marry Me chicken orzo recipe combines the classic Marry Me chicken flavors of tender chicken and a rich, creamy sun dried tomato sauce with perfectly cooked al dente orzo for a tasty twist that's just as delicious and easy as the classic version.
When I want a rich, creamy pasta dish loaded with complex flavor but not a bunch of complex steps, I always go for one of my Marry Me pasta recipes. I have a simple Marry Me pasta with no meat when I want something simple, but I also love serving up a meaty Marry Me shrimp pasta for my family or even Marry Me chicken dip at parties.
You can't ever go wrong with the delicious blend of creamy texture and complex flavors you get with the sun dried tomatoes and seasonings added to the sauce.
I switched things up with this version by using chicken thighs for a deeper, more rich chicken flavor and using orzo for a delicious, fun, unexpected texture. It takes everything we love about Marry Me chicken and boosts it just a bit more.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Like all Marry Me dishes, this one uses simple ingredients to create its complex flavor, and you can find them all at your local grocery store.
- Super Easy: Orzo is a quick-cooking pasta, so I just stir it right into the sauce, making this a super easy one pot meal.
- Rich, Complex Flavor: The sauce is made with heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes, and a blend of seasonings to create a rich texture and an equally rich, complex flavor.
- Versatile: This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dinner but fancy enough for any party.
Ingredients
Chicken
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs add a deeper, richer flavor than chicken breasts. I use Springer Mountain Farms chicken thighs because they never use hormones or antibiotics, and they never add animal by-products to their feed.
- Seasonings: A blend of sweet smoked paprika, Ialian seasoning, sun dried tomato powder, and black pepper gives the thighs a zest, Italian-inspired flavor.
- Sun Dried Tomato Oil: I cook the thighs in the oil from the jarred sun dried tomatoes for even more flavor.
Pasta Sauce
- Orzo: Orzo has a great texture and cooks quickly, so I can make the entire dish in one pan.
- Aromatics: Dried shallots, minced onions, and garlic add a complex aromatic flavor profile with a little sweetness as well as bite.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: Sun dried tomatoes add the deep tomato flavor you expect in a Marry Me pasta dish.
- Seasonings: A blend of Italian seasoning and sweet smoked paprika adds more depth of flavor to the dish.
- Spinach: Spinach adds color and a little more flavor to the pasta.
- Chicken Broth and Heavy Cream: A blend of chicken broth and heavy cream creates a rich, creamy sauce that's thick but not too thick.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese adds an earthy, nutty note to the pasta.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- Change Out the Chicken: You can use chicken thighs or breasts, as well as seafood like shrimp, prawns, crab claws, or even lobster tails.
- Deeper Chicken Falvor: You can use chicken stock in place of broth for deeper flavor.
- Oil: You can use olive oil to cook the chicken if you prefer.
- Add Some Heat: Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a touch of heat.
- Throw in More Veggies: Mushrooms or chopped asparagus would be lovely in this dish.
- Dairy Free: For a gluten free and dairy free version, use plant butter, cream, and parmesan.
- Vegetarian Options: Portobello mushrooms are a great vegetarian option because they have a rich flavor and meaty texture.
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Large skillet
Instructions
Chicken
- Wash and pat the chicken dry. Then, mix the chicken with all the seasonings in a medium mixing bowl.
- Preheat the oil in a large skillet. Then, cook the chicken, stirring frequently, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Transfer it from the pan to a plate.
Pasta and Sauce
- Melt the butter in the same pan. Then, saute the aromatics, sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings unit fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, cooked chicken, and orzo. Then, cover the pan and simmer until the orzo is al dente.
- Add the heavy cream and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.
- Lower the heat, add the parmesan cheese, and stir until creamy.
- Top with fresh parmesan and basil if desired, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to thoroughly pat the chicken dry before mixing it with the seasonings so they cling to it readily.
- Stir your pasta two to three times while it simmers to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
- Be sure to use a large skillet with high sides if possible. It really limits the mess.
- For the most visually appealing dish, cook the spinach until wilted but not withered and dark green.
Pairing Suggestions
This Marry Me chicken orzo is a hearty, filling meal on its own, so I suggest pairing it with something simple like garlic bread. You don't really need a side.
However, you do always need dessert. Serve a lighter treat at the end of this substantial dish, like a simple glazed lemon loaf cake, Italian rainbow cookies, or some fruit with a sweet blended cottage cheese dip.
FAQ
Marry Me pasta is a creamy pasta dish made with a sun dried tomato and heavy cream sauce, seasonings, and parmesan cheese. It may or may not have meat, and various vegetables may be added, depending on the recipe.
You absolutely can! All you have to do is use plant butter, cream, and cheese in place of traditional dairy options.
A large skillet with deep sides is usually your best bet for one-pan pasta dishes. Skillets with this kind of shape make it easy to mix the ingredients without making a big mess.
Cream sauce needs a delicate touch. It absolutely cannot come to a boil. If it does, the sauce will curdle, also called breaking.
Bring your sauce to a low simmer gradually over medium heat. Never try to rush our sauce by using higher heat. This slow and steady approach keeps your sauce from breaking.
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📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sun-dried tomato powder
- 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
Pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon dried shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 2 ¾ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup Orzo
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup spinach diced
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Chicken
- Wash the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Add the chicken, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sun-dried tomato powder to a medium bowl and mix to evenly coat.
- Heat up the tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
Pasta
- Melt the butter in the same pan. Then, add the shallots, minced onion, minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, sweet smoked paprika, salt, and basil. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, chicken, and orzo, cover with a lid, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add the cream and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted.
- Reduce the heat, add the parmesan, and stir until creamy. Top with fresh parmesan and basil if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing is not recommended, as cream sauces break when defrosted.
- To reheat the dish, place it in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until heated through.
- Stir frequently while cooking this sauce to prevent sticking.
- Orzo cooks quickly, so check it for doneness a couple of minutes before you think it will be done.
- When washing your chicken, hold it as deeply in the sink as possible and use a gentle flow of water to limit splashing and transferring bacteria.
- Always wash the sink and counters before doing anything else after washing your chicken.
- While it's generally easy to gauge chicken doneness based on time when cooking cubed or small pieces, it is still safer to check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
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