Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Orzo is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender pan-seared chicken breasts smothered in a luscious creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, spinach, and Parmesan cheese, served over perfectly cooked orzo pasta. This comforting meal combines Italian-inspired herbs with a velvety texture for a quick and satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Orzo Pasta
- 1 cup orzo pasta
Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano and basil)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then cook in the skillet until golden brown on both sides, approximately 6 to 8 minutes per side. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: Add minced garlic to the same pan and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, ensuring it doesn’t burn.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the heavy cream while scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan to incorporate flavor. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and dried Italian herbs to create a flavorful base.
- Add spinach and cheese: Incorporate the baby spinach into the sauce, stirring until the leaves wilt. Then mix in the grated Parmesan cheese, allowing it to melt evenly into the creamy sauce.
- Combine with orzo: Fold cooked orzo into the skillet with the sauce, adding reserved pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a smooth, well-combined consistency.
- Serve: Plate the creamy Tuscan chicken with orzo hot and enjoy this deliciously comforting meal.
Notes
- To cook the orzo, boil it in salted water according to package instructions until al dente before adding it to the sauce.
- Reserve some pasta water when cooking orzo to loosen the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- For extra flavor, garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.
- You may substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or coconut cream for a lighter or dairy-free option, respectively.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safety.
