One-pot Creamy Orzo Pasta with plenty of veggies and an easy Parmesan cream sauce is kid friendly and simple to make!
Pair this one-pot creamy pasta entree with a light side dish such as this Italian salad or this cucumber salad.
The Best Creamy Orzo
When I’m not sure what to make for dinner but know I need to get some veggies in my kiddos, this is the dish I make. It’s loaded with veggies, and is still such a kid-friendly meal, thanks to the creamy sauce and orzo pasta.
Creamy Orzo is also a dish I love making because it’s inexpensive, simple to make, and keeps my dishes to a minimum, (just like this One Pot Spaghetti!) A one-pot project, that is.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Helps cook the onions, garlic, chicken, and adds so much flavor.
- Chicken: Cut into small pieces to cook quickly, chicken thighs will work as well.
- Seasonings: Seasons the dish. Taste and adjust seasoning at the end.
- Frozen Vegetables & Broccoli: No need to thaw; they cook fast.
- Butter & Flour: Make the sauce thick and creamy. Cook the flour in butter for a minute to get rid of the raw taste.
- Chicken Stock/Broth & Milk: Form the base of the sauce. Add slowly while stirring to keep it smooth.
- Orzo Pasta: Makes the dish hearty, like risotto. Stir often to stop it from sticking.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use fresh Parmesan for the best flavor.
- Parsley: Optional for garnish. Add just before serving for color and flavor.
How To Make Creamy Orzo
- Sauté: Onions and garlic in olive oil.
- Cook Chicken: Add chicken, season, and cook.
- Add Veggies: Include frozen vegetables and broccoli, cook until tender.
- Make Sauce: Melt butter, whisk in flour, then gradually add stock and milk.
- Add Orzo: Stir in uncooked orzo and Italian seasoning, simmer until nearly tender.
- Combine: Return chicken and veggies to pot, add Parmesan, season to taste.
- Serve: Creamy, garnished with Parmesan and optional parsley.
Variations
- Veggies: Swap with fresh ones; they need more prep and cooking time.
- Chicken: Use thighs in your creamy orzo for darker meat.
- Cheese: Replace Parmesan with sharp Cheddar; use about 1 and 1/4 cups.
- Make It Spicy: Stir in some red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for a kick.
Storage
Store leftover creamy orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk to restore the creamy consistency.
What To Serve With Creamy Orzo
Creamy Orzo
One-pot Creamy Orzo pasta entrée with plenty of veggies and an easy Parmesan cream sauce is kid friendly and simple to make!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 12 ounces (~1 large) chicken breast cut into small bite-sized pieces
- Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper (or use lemon pepper if desired)
- 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen diced vegetables (I use the blend of carrots, sweet peas, corn, & green beans)
- 1 and 3/4 cup broccoli (~1 floret), chopped into very small pieces
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons white all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- 2 and 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 and 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, divided
- fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- PREP: Cut veggies and chicken before starting to cook; the process goes quickly! Finely chop the onion and garlic, cut the chicken breast into small pieces, and chop the broccoli into small pieces. Set out the rest of the ingredients.
- COOK: Heat olive oil in a large (nonstick) pot over high heat. Add onion and stir around for 1-2 minutes and then add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chopped chicken, season with salt and pepper; cook until mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add in all the frozen vegetables (no need to thaw) and finely chopped broccoli. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until veggies are thawed and chicken is cooked through. Broccoli should be crisp-tender. Transfer this entire mixture to a plate and cover with foil.
- COOK CONT.: Return the pot to burner. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly. Add in the milk and all the uncooked orzo. Add in the Italian seasoning.
- FINISH COOKING: Bring mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat until it is just barely and gently bubbling. Cook for 7 minutes without a lid, stirring occasionally and making sure to scrape the bottom so the orzo does not stick. After 7 minutes the pasta should be almost tender (mixture will still be soupy). Add the plate of veggies and chicken to the pot and stir. Add 3/4 cup Parmesan and stir to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Don't be afraid to add a bit more-- the salt and pepper really pull all the flavors together.
- SERVE: Consistency should be similar to risotto and very creamy. (Add a splash of milk if needed to thin consistency a bit.) Serve with additional 1/4 cup Parmesan if desired and some freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy while hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 666kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 749mg | Potassium: 925mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 879IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 505mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very easy to make, I used shrimp in place of chicken and added it at the end. So good!
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This recipe is really good! Made it tonight as written and turned out perfect!
Thanks so much Jen! 🙂
Do you think this would freeze well? I made this and have a lot of left overs. It was really good!
This is a great recipe. Thank you so much. I’ve been making it with leftovers from a whole baked (crockpot) chicken and steamed broccoli. I just make the orzo and stir in the frozen veg, broccoli, and chicken. Thanks so much.
Yay! I’m so happy you’ve been loving this recipe! 🙂
Can you substitute whipping cream for the milk??
I stumbled across your website recently and I’ve been trying a lot of your recipes. I made this one for dinner tonight because I had half a box of risoni in the back of my pantry that I needed to use. Quite easy to make with staple ingredients I always have on hand – plus a great opportunity to use up some frozen veg lying around. Will definitely make again.
I’m so happy to hear this Amy! So glad you were able to work with what you had! Thanks so much for your kind comment! 🙂
Hi
Would love to try this ..but was wondering if I can do unsweetened almond milk ??
Thanks
I don’t think that will thicken up properly unfortunately.
I made this tonight for supper and it was delicious!!! My husband ate three helpings and continued to pick out of the pot. That’s a huge win in our house!
This is such a win! I’m so happy you guys loved this creamy orzo so much! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
I try tons of recipes and usually don’t leave a review, but this recipe quickly became a favorite of mine. I have made this several times with a variety of vegetable combinations (my favorite is peas and mushrooms). I’ve even swapped 1/2 cup of milk for 1/2 of heavy cream (it doesn’t make a difference so it’s not worth doing unless you ran out of milk like I did). Nevertheless, this recipe turns out amazing every time I make it. The leftovers are great and I look forward to eating them every time.
Thanks so much for your comment Hannah! I really appreciate you sharing some of the vegetable substitutions that have worked for you, they sound amazing! 🙂
What can you replace orzo for if it’s not what you have??
I haven’t tested anything else in this so I really can’t say for sure, I’m so sorry! You could try ditalini pasta, but not sure exactly how it would end up.