Tender chicken breasts paired with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce and hearty orzo is such a good combination, it’ll make you want to marry the person who made it for you! Introducing my One-Pan “Marry Me” Chicken Orzo, an easy, delicious take on the classic “Marry Me” chicken. This dish is the perfect weeknight dinner: it comes together with just one pan and and in a matter of minutes, making it the perfect cozy and comforting weeknight dinner.
Friends, have you heard of “marry me” chicken? Rumor has it that it began with Ina Garten’s “Engagement Roast Chicken,” but since then, it has been recreated hundreds of times. The lore behind this recipe is that it’s so good, that if you make it for you boyfriend, he will want to marry you. Who knows if that’s actually true, but one thing that is true? This recipe is DELICIOUS!
My take on the classic “marry me” chicken pairs it with one of my favorite ingredients: orzo! Orzo is a thin, rice-like pasta that can be a little easier to digest than traditional pasta. And, when paired with this creamy, sun-dried tomato sauce and chunks of tender chicken, it is truly an unbeatable combination. Talk about comfort food! This recipe is so warm and cozy, and I love making it on a cold night to instantly warm me up!
What You Need to Make This Creamy Chicken Orzo
- Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast is the key to making this recipe!
- Olive Oil: To cook the chicken, I like to choose a better-for-you oil such as olive oil.
- Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. The flavor is truly unbeatable!
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Make sure that the sun-dried tomatoes are packed in oil, so that they have the best flavor.
- Seasonings: To perfectly season this chicken, we’ll be using a blend of italian seasoning, paprika, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Orzo: Orzo is a short-cut pasta that looks like a large grain of rice. It’s a delicious form of pasta to eat when you don’t want to feel super full and sluggish!
- Chicken Broth or Water: While I love using chicken broth to add flavor to the orzo, you can also use water, if you prefer.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream: I prefer to use full-fat coconut milk to keep this recipe dairy-free, but heavy cream also works well, here.
- Fresh Spinach: Spinach is packed with vitamins and minerals and is the perfect way to sneak extra veggies into this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: There is nothing better than taking a bite of creamy, cheesy pasta, and freshly grated parmesan cheese is the perfect addition to this recipe!
How to Make This Perfect One-Pan Chicken Dish
To make this recipe, start by preparing the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and slice them into cubes. Set them aside while you prepare the skillet.
Heat a skillet, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the edges start to cook. Then, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, italian seasoning, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper, and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
Then, add in the orzo and broth and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium, then cover the pan and allow it to cook for 12 minutes. Remove the cover every few minutes and stir, to ensure that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Once the orzo is cooked through, add in the coconut milk or heavy cream and spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted. Finally, add in the freshly-grated parmesan cheese and stir one last time.
Once it’s done, remove it from the heat, serve it immediately, and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Gayle McLeod
Ingredients
- 1.5 Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken breast, cut into cubes
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4-5 Cloves Garlic, mashed
- ¾ Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes , packed in oil and drained
- 2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 Teaspoons Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Cup Orzo
- 2 ¾ Cups Chicken Broth or Water
- ¾ Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream
- 2 Large Handfuls Fresh Spinach
- ¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- To make this recipe, start by preparing the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and slice them into cubes. Set them aside while you prepare the skillet.
- Heat a skillet, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in the oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the edges start to cook.
- Then, add in the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, italian seasoning, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper, and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
- Then, add in the orzo and broth and stir well.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then cover the pan and allow it to cook for 12 minutes. Remove the cover every few minutes and stir, to ensure that the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the orzo is cooked through, add in the coconut milk or heavy cream and spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted.
- Finally, add in the freshly-grated parmesan cheese and stir one last time.
- Once it's done, remove it from the heat, serve it immediately, and enjoy!
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Excellent!! My household loves this recipe!
How would I prepare it on a Monday to serve on Wednesday? Could I freeze? How many days would it be good for if just refrigerated?
Hi Janet, I would recommend keeping it in the fridge ☻
I make this once a week! It is such a crowd pleaser, everyone asks to be invited over when I make it. I use half a cup less of chicken broth, mostly because the broth i get is only 2 cups for one box so i just think “meh!” and do that, it turns out great everytime! Im doubling it tonight and hoping it turns out just as good!
I am so happy it turned out well for you, Audri! Thank you for your review!
Loved this recipe, flavors were delicious! However, definitely not enough for 6 servings!
Thank you for your feedback, Candice! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
I don’t normally take the time to review the recipes that I try, but I’ll make an exception to this one.
This was amazing.
I will definitely be putting this into the standard rotation.
The only tweaks are personal preferences. I will chop the Sun-Dried Tomatoes and add more spinach than the recipe calls for.
Delicious.
Jerry, I am so thrilled to hear that! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for taking the time to write out such a kind review. It truly means the world to me!
Absolutely delicious!! I have made this twice now and it turns out great each time following the recipe listed above. The first time I made it, I trusted the recipe as is despite the comments on it being soupy but as it continued to cook it thickened up nicely and even more as it cooled down some before serving. Thank you for sharing and gifting us a wonderful recipe to add into our rotation! Tonight I went a little “wild” and added crumbled bacon to it! ❤️🤌🏻💋
I’m so happy to hear that it turned out well for you, Jennifer! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for leaving such a kind review!
I made this recipe tonight for the first time and it did not disappoint. Very good. I will definitely be making this more often. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that, Lisa! Thank you so much for your review!
My family LOVED this! I might try a different pasta next time to change it up. Has anybody done this with penne or farfalle? Does it change cooking time or liquid amounts?
So delicious! You are my go to for all my recipes! Made this one tonight, it was a WINNER in my home. Wouldn’t change a thing. And do not worry everyone, the liquid will be absorbed as it rest.
Absolutely delicious! Family loved it
So happy to hear that! Thank you, Joanne!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
I used smoked paprika instead, (it’s what I had on hand 1tsp tho)
That sounds delicious, Heidi! Thank you for your review!
Such a delicious recipe, I’ve added it to my recipe book!! I made a few changes and thought I would report on them for other’s enjoyment. I used whole chicken breasts as I feel it was slightly more moist and the chicken doesn’t get overcooked.
I seared the chicken breasts whole for a few minutes on each side and then removed from the pan. I added a half cup of onions as well, and deglazed the pan with a splash of white wine to get the chicken bits off of the pan. After following the rest of the recipe I added the chicken breasts back in and baked for 10-15 mins to ensure the chicken breasts were cooked all the way through. Absolutely delectable, thank you!
Sam, thank you so much for sharing such a detailed review! I am so thrilled that you loved this recipe, and I appreciate your support so much!