Need a quick and easy dinner tonight? This creamy Spinach and Artichoke Orzo with Chicken takes 30 minutes to cook in one skillet and never skimps on flavor. You’ll love the layers of pan-seared chicken breasts, orzo pasta, spinach, and artichokes in every bite!
We all have nights where we don’t feel like cooking or don’t have time for it. That’s where one-pot chicken dinners come in handy! Whether it’s Chicken Marsala or Harissa Chicken with Chickpeas, they’re always to best choice for getting a delicious, nutritious, and filling dinner on the table in a flash.
Just think of this Spinach and Artichoke Orzo with Chicken as a blend between spinach artichoke dip, chicken parmesan, and lemon pasta. It’s made with seasoned and seared chicken breasts, artichoke hearts, orzo pasta, and spinach, all of which cook together in a creamy and lemony white wine sauce. The flavors always turn out tangy, creamy, savory, and delicious.
The best part about this recipe is that everything is cooked in the same skillet and it’s ready in just 30 minutes. This means that you not only get to indulge in an elegant, yet easy meal while skipping the cleanup!
What is orzo?
Orzo (AKA risoni) looks just like arborio rice (used to make risotto) but it’s actually a short-cut pasta. It cooks, tastes, and feels just like regular pasta but is the size of a grain of rice or barley. Orzo is often used in minestrone soup and one-pot meals where rice would normally be used.
How to make spinach and artichoke orzo with chicken:
Start by seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, then toss it in the flour and garlic powder. Cook the seasoned and coated chicken in a skillet until cooked through and golden on both sides. Add the butter and cook for a few more minutes, then transfer it to a plate.
Cook the artichokes in the same pan with more butter. Move them to the plate with the chicken when done.
Next, saute the shallots and garlic with a bit of salt and pepper in the pan. Add the orzo after a few minutes.
Pour the wine and broth into the pan. Bring it up to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is just about al dente.
Stir the cream cheese into the mixture until it melts. Next, add the spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Nestle the cooked chicken and artichokes in with the orzo pasta and spinach and leave it to simmer for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and variations:
- If you don’t have orzo pasta, replace it with rice or another short-cut pasta.
- This recipe can easily be made dairy free by replacing the butter with olive oil and the cream cheese with dairy free cream cheese, cashew cream, or full fat coconut milk.
- Don’t want to cook with wine? No problem. Substitute the white wine for a splash of lemon juice or more chicken broth.
- Make this recipe with as many other vegetables as you like, such as broccoli, peas, green beans, cauliflower, or kale.
- Don’t forget to finish it off with lots of parmesan cheese and a little extra lemon zest on top!
What goes well with chicken, orzo, and artichokes?
I’ll typically serve this one-skillet chicken dinner on its own because it’s really filling. However, there’s nothing wrong with giving this meal a boost with a few light dishes on the side. The creamy, tangy, and savory flavors pair well with:
- Arugula Salad
- Shaved Fennel and Celery Salad
- Grilled Broccolini
- Radicchio Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Sauteed Spinach
- Cherry Tomato Salad
Wine pairings for chicken orzo skillet:
- Chardonnay will complement the bright flavors and creamy sauce in this recipe.
- If you’d prefer a red, go with a Pinot Noir or Barbera.
- If you’re having trouble pairing a wine with the artichokes (they’re notoriously difficult to pair), you should have success with Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, or Beaujolais.
- MORE —> the 8 BEST Wine + Chicken Pairings.
If you loved this one-skillet Spinach and Artichoke Orzo with Chicken I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
More easy chicken recipes:
- Chicken with White Wine Sauce
- Easy Chicken Piccata
- Mushroom Chicken
- 20-Minute Thai Chicken Salad
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- French Onion Chicken
Spinach and Artichoke Orzo Recipe
Spinach & Artichoke Orzo with Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless, sliced in half horizontally)
- Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter (divided)
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked )
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 4 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
- 1 8.5-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts (drained and rinsed)
- 3 cups spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (+ 1 Tablespoon lemon juice)
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow bowl and coat the chicken pieces in the flour.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 TBSP butter and cook 2 minutes longer. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 TBSP butter to the now empty skillet. Once melted, add the artichokes. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes or until golden. Set aside with the chicken.
- Add the shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the empty skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the orzo. Cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the broth and wine and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until orzo is just shy of al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cream cheese until melted and combined. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Nestle the chicken and artichokes in the orzo and simmer for 5 minutes, or until warmed through. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips and variations:
- If you don’t have orzo pasta, replace it with rice or another short-cut pasta.
- This recipe can easily be made dairy free by replacing the butter with olive oil and the cream cheese with dairy free cream cheese, cashew cream, or full fat coconut milk.
- Don’t want to cook with wine? No problem. Substitute the white wine for lemon juice or more chicken broth.
- Make this recipe with as many other vegetables as you like, such as broccoli, peas, green beans, cauliflower, or kale.
- Don’t forget to finish it off with lots of parmesan cheese and a little extra lemon zest on top!
Equipment
Nutrition
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Holy wow wow ! Terrific, restaurant quality entre. I added an additional 1/4 cup of chardonnay wine to the recipe and used an additional Tablespoon of butter before I added the orzo to the pan. Delicious meal for a very rainy day in otherwise sunny coastal South Carolina.
I’m so happy you liked it Veronica! It’s one of my new favorites!
This was a family hit! I will have to double the recipe next time to make sure I end up with some leftovers for lunch. I used a combination of thin-sliced chicken breasts and thighs and it was so flavorful. Definitely will hang on to this recipe. Thanks, Erin!
Thanks Alyssa – I’m glad you guys loved it!
I didn’t have orzo so I used israeli couscous. Had some goat cheese that worked in place of cream cheese. Your recipe is a great place to start!
Thank you Paola!
Can you use fish instead of chicken? Thinking it would be nice with mahi-mahi or snapper.
Yes – that should definitely work Monica! Sounds delicious!
I made this last evening and it is delicious! The only changes I made were to sub about a 4 oz heavy cream for the cream cheese and to use much less spinach (we like spinach but not 3 cups worth!) I want to top it with toasted pine nuts next time, just to add a little toast crunch.
Thanks Lisa!
Where are the extra stars?!?? This was holy-makerel-incredible, we LOVED it! It’s going to the top of our repeat recipe list, in fact we had to fight ourselves not to make it again the next day! Thank you, can’t wait to try your Butter Chicken next.
Would appreciate seeing the whole video of that recipe if it’s posted somewhere, the one I found got interrupted with ads, then switched to something else.
Thank you so much Noli!
Wow this recipe is a 10/10! I found you on TikTok and I’m so glad I did!!! Adding this to my weekly rotation!
Thank you so much Gabbie!
This was delicious, I would definitely make this for company. I followed the recipe exactly.
Thank you Gabby!
As rose season is upon us, I was looking for some summer chicken recipes. I followed this one and it did not disappoint! I’m sure I’ll be coming back to this one all summer long. Thanks for putting it together!
You’re welcome Matt! Thanks for trying it!
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe! I think I’ll add some cayenne pepper for a bit of heat
Love that idea Alex!
This is one of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever made. My whole family loved it! (Have dairy allergy so used vegan butter & cashew milk yogurt instead of cream cheese; & it was still so yummy!)
Thank you SO much Heidi!
Thanks for sharing this quick dinner recipe. Gonna make it tonight for me and my husband.
I hope you enjoy!
Had to come back here to write a review. This recipe is fantastic! It’ll be going into my rotation. It tasted like a restaurant dish and loaded with flavor in every bite, yet fairly simple to make. Yum!
Had to come back here to write a review. This recipe is fantastic! It’ll be going into my rotation. It tasted like a restaurant dish and loaded with flavor in every bite, yet fairly simple to make. Yum!
Thank you Lisa!
I agree with other reviewers that this was such a good meal. My husband loved it and we’re having leftovers tonight. The only change I made was using rinsed marinated artichokes which we liked. A touch of acid from them. Also, to the reviewer who thought 3 cups of spinach was too much by the time it’s wilted down it is just the right amount. I also added a touch more butter when adding the orzo.
I made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing! I will be making it again and again! Thank you for a superb recipe!
Small question…do you use skin-on chicken breasts or skin-off? Thanks
Hi Dave – I used boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Happy cooking!
Made this tonight with some minor changes and heckity heck this going in the rotation.
I didn’t have a shallot, so I used some leftover onion and it worked just fine. I added some extra seasonings to the flour. Smoked paprika, garlic, onion, some Cajun seasoning and some parsley.
I did add some red chili flake in with the onions and garlic, only because I think spinach always needs it. I didn’t have fresh spinach so I eyeballed “enough” frozen and threw it in with the orzo. I also added some more Cajun seasoning to the orzo cause I put that ish on everything.
Once the orzo was about 75% done, I popped the chicken and artichokes back in, covered in mozzarella and parm mix and baked for about 10/15 on 350 to finish cooking and then broiled to get that GBD cheese.
It was really, really good. I always do “test” recipes when the husband is gone. I can’t wait until he’s back. He is going to LOVE this.
Thank you so much Kat! I hope he does 🙂
Hey there,
Just stumbled upon your article about Spinach and Artichoke Orzo with Chicken, and I couldn’t resist leaving a comment. First of all, let me say how much I enjoyed reading your post. Your writing style is engaging and conversational, making it feel like I’m chatting with a friend rather than just reading an article. Kudos to you for that!
Now, let’s talk about the recipe itself. Spinach and artichoke are two of my all-time favorite ingredients, and combining them with orzo and chicken sounds like a winning combination. The way you described the dish made my mouth water and left me craving a big bowl of it right away. I appreciate how you explained each step in detail, making it easy for even a novice cook like me to follow along. The addition of Parmesan cheese at the end must add a lovely creamy touch to the dish.
Your article also struck a chord with me because I’ve been trying to incorporate more wholesome and nutritious meals into my diet lately. This Spinach and Artichoke Orzo with Chicken recipe seems like the perfect fit. It’s not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients. I appreciate that you included the nutritional information, as it helps me make informed choices about my meals.
Overall, thank you for sharing this mouthwatering recipe and your personal insights. I can’t wait to give it a try in my own kitchen. Keep up the fantastic work, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of your culinary creations in the future. Cheers!
I just had to let you know that I’ve made this recipe about 5 times already! My family absolutely loves it. To make it a full meal, I add some sliced rotisserie chicken when I put in the cheese. It’s such an easy dish, but it tastes like a chef’s masterpiece. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Thankyou so much Caroline!
Made this 4 times all ready. Tonight will be #5 for a small BD dinner party. Gonna add roasted cherry tomatoes, I’ve used sun dried tomatoes before. Tomatoes add a nice color. Such a great recipe!💕💕💕
Thanks Bonnie!