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–+ servings
a large copper pan on a table, with orzo pasta, chicken and cranberries

Creamy, Cheesy Chicken Orzo Recipe (video)

20 minutes prep + 30 minutes cook
6 servings
Quick and easy, creamy cheesy chicken orzo pasta recipe with dried cranberries, pecans, and parmesan cheese! An easy, one-pan dinner recipe!

Ingredients 
US Customary - Metric

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, about 6 thighs
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 10 small mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 pound orzo pasta
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Preparing the Chicken:

  • Cube the chicken into small, bite sized pieces. Preheat a large sauté pan with deep sides over medium-high heat and add in a drizzle of cooking oil. Into the hot pan, add half the chicken.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then fry it for 7 to 8 minutes, until golden brown. It doesn’t need to be 100% cooked at this point.
  • Remove the browned chicken onto a separate plate, then fry the second batch. Frying in batches will prevent overcrowding and will allow the chicken to brown nicely. Set all the browned chicken aside until later.

Frying the Mushrooms & Seasoning:

  • Into the same sauté pan, add the sliced mushrooms. Cook them over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until most of the moisture has evaporated. Add in the butter and shallots next. Keep cooking this mixture until the mushrooms are well browned.
  • Next, add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season the pan with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Pour in the white wine and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it’s completely reduced.

Cooking Instructions:

  • Return the chicken back into the pan, add in the orzo pasta, and stir everything together. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream; it should be about ½-inch over the pasta. Allow the broth to come up to a simmer, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to a medium-low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the orzo pasta is done.

Serving:

  • Once the orzo is al dente, remove the pan from heat. Add in the dried cranberries, pecans, parsley, and parmesan cheese. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top. Stir everything together until the cheese is melted.
  • This creamy chicken orzo can be enjoyed right away. I like to garnish the top with more pecans and fresh parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 756kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1142IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3mg