Description
This Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Orzo is a delightful one-pan meal featuring tender, pan-seared chicken breasts in a luscious sauce made with heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Combined with perfectly cooked orzo pasta, it’s a comforting dinner that’s quick to prepare and packed with rich Italian flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano and basil)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them in the hot skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Once done, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, making sure not to burn it.
- Prepare the sauce: Pour the heavy cream into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan to add flavor. Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and dried Italian herbs, blending the ingredients together.
- Add spinach and cheese: Add the baby spinach to the sauce mixture and stir until wilted. Then, incorporate the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
- Combine with orzo: Fold in the cooked orzo pasta into the skillet, mixing it thoroughly with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of reserved pasta water to loosen and fully combine all ingredients evenly.
- Serve: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet or serve on top of the orzo and creamy sauce. Serve hot and enjoy your hearty Tuscan chicken dish.
Notes
- For best results, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of pre-grated varieties for a smoother sauce.
- If sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, drain them well before chopping to avoid excess oiliness in the sauce.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter option, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Make sure to reserve some pasta water when cooking the orzo to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently on the stove or microwave.
