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Review Recipe30 Minute Cheesy Chicken Orzo
Cheesy chicken orzo is a quick and comforting dinner made with tender chicken, creamy cheddar sauce, and fresh spinach. Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy one-pan recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
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There are dinner recipes that you make once, enjoy, and move on from—and then there are recipes like this Cheesy Chicken Orzo, which stick in your rotation. Because they’re easy and never fail to please .
Making The Best Orzo
Recipe Testing Notes
We developed this recipe after multiple rounds of testing to get the sauce-to-pasta balance just right. Orzo, which is technically a pasta but eats like rice, makes the perfect base for a velvety cheddar sauce that clings to every bite of tender chicken and spinach.
Each detail in the recipe — from salting the pasta water to loosening leftovers with broth — comes directly from hands-on testing in our kitchen.
The best part? You only need 30 minutes from start to finish, and everything comes together in one skillet plus a quick boil of pasta.
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Notes
We tested béchamel vs. condensed cheddar soup. The soup was faster, foolproof, and reheated without separating — ideal for weeknight cooking.
Ingredient Variations
- Extra Veggies – Fold in roasted red peppers, mushrooms, or steamed broccoli.
- Spicy Kick – Add a pinch of cayenne or stir in diced jalapeños.
- Herb Twist – Fresh basil or chives stirred in just before serving.
Expert Tips
👉 Rinse the orzo — It may seem unusual, but it stops the cooking and prevents orzo from clumping. We tested both ways, and un-rinsed orzo turned gummy when reheated the next day.
👉 Lower heat matters when cooking the garlic — It scorches quickly, and even a little burnt garlic makes the sauce taste bitter.
👉 Bring it all together — Adding spinach at the end keeps it vibrant and tender, not mushy. Waiting to return the chicken until this step keeps it juicy instead of overcooked.
Storage & Reheating Cheese Orzo
This recipe keeps well for up to three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To reheat, warm gently in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth until creamy again.
When reheating, broth is your best friend. Orzo absorbs liquid quickly, so without it, leftovers can feel dense and dry. During testing we found that ¼ cup of broth per 1 ½ cups reheated portion worked best for restoring creaminess.
Avoid the microwave if possible—it tends to overheat the pasta and tighten the sauce.
Serving Ideas
Serve immediately with a light garnish of parsley, if desired. This dish is hearty enough to be a standalone dinner, but it pairs nicely with:
- A crisp side salad (Caesar or simple greens with vinaigrette).
- Garlic bread or focaccia to soak up the extra sauce.
- Roasted vegetables like asparagus or Brussels sprouts.
Cheesy Chicken Orzo
Cheesy chicken orzo is a quick and comforting dinner made with tender chicken, creamy cheddar sauce, and fresh spinach. Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy one-pan recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- ½ pound orzo pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, patted dry (cut into ¾ inch pieces)
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup small diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon dried mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
- 21 ounces condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted (two 10.5-ounce cans)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup chopped baby spinach, stems removed (lightly packed)
Optional Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water (according to package directions) for 9-11 minutes or until al dente. Drain, rinse under cool water and set aside.
- Preheat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for 7-9 minutes or until lightly golden and no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the skillet, place onto a clean plate and set aside.
- Turn down the temperature of the burner to medium low, add the butter, onions, and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes or just until tender and fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, dried mustard, sweet paprika, and ground thyme to the onions. Stir together and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or just until the broth starts to simmer.
- Add the cheddar cheese soup and whole milk, stirring until the sauce is smooth.
- Stir in the reserved orzo pasta until fully coated in the cheese sauce. Add the chicken and spinach, stirring just until combined. Let it cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or just until the spinach has completely wilted into the cheese sauce.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately with a light garnish of parsley if desired.
Notes
- For a creamier cheese sauce, substitute half & half or heavy cream for the whole milk in this recipe. If the sauce becomes too thick, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth to thin it to your desired consistency.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used as a substitute if you prefer dark meat chicken instead of the white meat chicken breasts.
Nutrition
Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1328mg | Potassium: 1301mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1219IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
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