Description
Chicken Pot Pie Orzo is a creamy, comforting one-pot dinner made with tender orzo pasta, cooked chicken, carrots, celery, peas, and savory herbs in a rich, flavorful sauce. It brings the familiar taste of chicken pot pie to an easy pasta meal without the pastry crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 1 cup sliced baby carrots (or 2 large carrots, peeled and diced)
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
- 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp. dried)
- 1 tsp. chicken bouillon seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. adobo seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups uncooked orzo
- 3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 1/2–1 cup frozen peas (or a mix of peas, corn, and green beans)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the vegetables begin to turn tender.
- Add the seasonings: Stir in the garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, chicken bouillon seasoning, salt, paprika, adobo seasoning, and black pepper. Cook briefly, stirring to coat the vegetables evenly with the herbs and spices.
- Stir in the flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously until evenly incorporated and no large dry patches remain.
- Cook the orzo: Add the uncooked orzo and chicken broth. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, until the orzo is nearly tender. Follow the pasta package guidance and add more chicken broth as needed to prevent the mixture from becoming too dry or sticking to the pot.
- Add the cream and chicken: Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half and the cooked chicken. Simmer gently, stirring, until the chicken is heated through and the sauce is creamy.
- Finish with vegetables: Add the frozen peas or vegetable mixture and cook until heated through and tender. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Add extra chicken broth if the sauce is thicker than desired.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and optional Parmesan. Serve warm.
Notes
- Adjust the sauce: Orzo continues absorbing liquid as it rests. Add extra chicken broth as needed to maintain a creamy consistency.
- Choose your chicken: Shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken makes preparation easy.
- Customize the vegetables: Use 1/2–1 cup of peas or a combination of peas, corn, and green beans. Taste before adding extra salt because the broth and seasonings may already be salty.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Recipes
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 servings
- Calories: 490 kcal
Keywords: chicken pot pie orzo, creamy chicken orzo, one pot chicken orzo, chicken pot pie pasta, easy chicken dinner, creamy orzo recipe