Creamy and rich, this One Pot Chicken Mushroom Orzo is a simple but satisfying dinner. Quick and delicious, this family friendly meal is ideal for busy weeknights.
It features juicy chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a hearty and creamy Parmesan sauce. The best part is that it's ready in about 30 minutes, and this dish is sure to become an instant family favorite!
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💚 About This Recipe
I'm a huge fan of one pot meals, especially when they're as tasty as this one! Mushroom orzo with chicken is the perfect way to feed the whole family and only worry about cleaning one dish afterward.
This one pot chicken mushroom orzo includes a creamy sauce, tender pasta, and earthy mushrooms. Add tender chicken for some extra protein and you've got everything you need for a full meal included!
Because of its size, orzo is a great candidate for cooking up perfectly in one dish, just like in this One Skillet Ground Beef with Orzo dish! This list of 12 Instant Pot One Pot Recipes is great for recipes just as easy as this one.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- olive oil - for browning the chicken.
- chicken breast - chicken thighs can be substituted if you prefer, but you may have to adjust cooking time.
- fresh mushrooms - buy them pre-sliced to save precious time in the kitchen.
- garlic and onion - provide their classic savory flavors that enhance all of the other ingredients in this creamy chicken orzo.
- herbs - I used a combination of fresh thyme, oregano, and parsley to give this dish a refreshing and comforting herbal flavor.
- salt and pepper - to taste.
- orzo - cooks well in the sauce and adds a nice hearty starch to the dish.
- dry white wine - helps deglaze the pan and forms the base of the creamy sauce.
- chicken broth - accentuates the chicken flavor, but can be substituted for vegetable broth if desired.
- Parmesan cheese - adds the perfect amount of cheesy flavor.
🔪 Instructions
- In a large pot or large skillet, cook chicken in olive oil over medium high heat, then set aside.
- Saute mushrooms, garlic, and onion until onions are translucent and mushrooms are softened.
- Add salt, pepper, and orzo and cook for another minute or two.
- Pour in the white wine and chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until orzo has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Remove from heat and add herbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Mix until well combined and top with additional herbs if desired.
❔ FAQs
Though it looks a bit like rice, orzo is actually a pasta! Also sometimes called risoni, it's often made from semolina flour.
For some recipes, it's necessary to rinse orzo (if you're baking it or serving it cold, for instance). And of course, when it comes to recipes like this one pot chicken mushroom orzo, the pasta is cooked right in the sauce anyway!
But in most cases, you'll want to leave cooked orzo unrinsed so the starch can help add texture and thickness to orzo dishes.
All types of mushrooms could work well in this recipe. Cremini, white button, shiitake, and portobello are excellent options.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Fresh Parmesan yields the best results, but store bought grated Parmesan can also work in a pinch.
- When you pour in the white wine and broth, give the bottom of the pan a good scrape to incorporate all of the browned bits at the bottom into the dish.
- I recommend using fresh herbs for this dish, but you could also use dried herbs. Because dried herbs have a stronger flavor, use 1 teaspoon for every tablespoon of fresh herbs that are called for.
- In addition to fresh parsley, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over top of your finished dish for some added freshness.
📌 Creamy and filling, this mushroom orzo with chicken is a delicious family meal with very little prep and hardly any dishes to wash after! Great for a weeknight meal or the main course of a dinner party.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- White button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms are ideal for this recipe, but you can use another kind of mushroom if you prefer.
- Make this dish vegetarian by removing the chicken and using vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.
- If you can't find orzo, other options include riced cauliflower, ditalini pasta, quinoa, brown rice, or even another small pasta shape like macaroni. Be aware that cooking times may vary depending on what you use in place of the orzo.
- For an even richer sauce, add a bit of heavy cream.
- Add more nutritional value by mixing in other veggies like broccoli, baby spinach, green beans, peas, bell peppers, and more!
- To save time on prep, here are some more shortcuts:
- 1 ½ cups frozen diced onion instead of 1 fresh onion
- 2 tablespoons of jarred, minced garlic instead of 3 cloves
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Your leftovers will last 4 to 5 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
To reheat, one method is to heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between. You could also transfer back to a pot on the stove top. You may need to add a bit more broth or just some water to prevent drying out.
Allow frozen one pot chicken mushroom orzo to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
If you're looking for another delicious side to pair with this easy one pot dinner, serve it alongside Garlic Butter Microwave Broccoli for a fast and reliable option, Sauteed Zucchini with Walnuts, Air Fryer Eggplant Fries, or Bacon Wrapped Asparagus for something elegant.
✔️ More One Pot Recipes You'll Love
- Slow Cooker Turkey Tetrazzini - This recipe is a fantastic way to use leftover turkey and make it into a delicious new dish!
- One Skillet Shrimp with Couscous - Seafood lovers will enjoy this simple dish that's great for a quick weeknight meal.
- One Pot Meatball Stroganoff - Comforting and filling, this combination of noodles, meatballs, and rich sauce is sure to be a hit.
- One Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta - RecipeTin Eats brings us a hearty and wholesome take on chicken alfredo that only requires one dish!
Creamy Chicken Orzo with Mushrooms
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📋 Recipe Card
One Pot Creamy Chicken Mushroom Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast , diced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 onion , diced
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup orzo
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside1 pound chicken breast
- Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.8 ounces sliced mushrooms, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Add the salt, pepper, and orzo and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 cup orzo
- Add the white wine and chicken broth and stir well.¼ cup white wine, 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Place a lid over the skillet and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked chicken, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese.1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon oregano, ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Notes
- If desired, garnish with additional sprinkled herbs.
- Mushrooms like white button or cremini work well in this recipe.
- No time to deal with chopping? Here are some substitutions:
- Use 1 ½ cups frozen diced onion instead of dicing an onion.
- Use 2 tablespoons of jarred minced garlic instead of mincing 3 cloves.
- Use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, thyme, and/or oregano instead of 1 tablespoon of the corresponding fresh chopped herb.
- It's best to use fresh Parmesan, but in a pinch you can use the store-bought grated Parmesan cheese.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Pixie says
I made a GF DF version of this for dinner last night and it was devine! I used chickpea Orzo and since I was low on broth, I did 1 1/2 cups of broth with 1 cup of coconut milk (canned) and I added 1/2 cup of white wine.
I garnished with grilled aspargus & Goats cheese instead of Parmesan and it was a match made in heaven. I'll be saving this recipe to make again!
Kristin King says
I love your ideas, thanks for sharing! So glad you like this recipe! 🙂
Jen says
This recipe was delicious! I stirred in a few handfuls of fresh spinach at the end. Will definitely be adding this into our winter rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Kristin King says
Great idea to add in the spinach - I am going to steal that! 🙂 So glad you like this recipe, thanks for coming back to let me know!
Jenn Callahan says
Recipe is as good as the website name!
Kristin King says
Oh, thank you so much, Jenn! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe and that you like my site name! 🙂
Sara Welch says
This was such a hearty and bold recipe that does not disappoint! So flavorful and easy; definitely, a new favorite dish!
Andrea says
I love so many things about this recipe. It's easy to make, It's full of great flavors, it's all made in one pot and It's perfect for my family as a busy weeknight meal.
Ashley says
I love a one pot recipe, and when you add orzo it's even better in my book! YUM!
Mahy says
This Chicken Mushroom Orzo recipe looks so comforting and delicious! I am going to make it soon!
Kushigalu says
My family loves orzo. Great recipe to try. Thanks for sharing.