One Pot Chicken and Mushroom Orzo – juicy golden brown chicken thighs with garlicky mushroom orzo.
ONE POT CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM ORZO
Nothing beats a complete dinner in one pan! Seasoned golden brown chicken thighs with garlicky Baby Bella mushrooms, tender orzo, and fresh baby spinach. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or even meal prep. I absolutely love this recipe served as leftovers! See below for my tips on reheating. For some of my favorite one pot chicken thigh variations, check out Skillet Chicken Thighs with Broccoli Cheddar Orzo and One Pot Chicken and Rice Pilaf.
INGREDIENTS FOR ONE POT CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM ORZO
- Chicken Thighs – bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I really like the chicken thighs in this recipe, they are budget friendly and satisfying. Chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs can be substituted as well. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the breast.
- Olive Oil – for searing the chicken.
- Garlic – freshly minced for best flavor.
- Mushrooms – Baby Bella mushrooms cut into thick slices. You can substitute white button mushrooms.
- Orzo Pasta – uncooked orzo.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – you can also substitute the chicken broth for water and chicken bullion, but be sure to reduce salt as needed if the bullion is full sodium.
- Baby Spinach – fresh baby spinach or kale if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese – freshly shredded for best melting.
- Paprika
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Fresh Parsley
HOW TO MAKE ONE POT CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM ORZO
Prep the Chicken: Toss the chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Brown the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the chicken thighs skin-down and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until crispy and golden. Don’t worry about fully cooking them yet. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
Sauté the Mushrooms and Garlic – Sauté the mushrooms and garlic in the leftover olive oil and chicken fat. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Bring the broth to a boil.
Simmer the Orzo and Chicken: Stir in the orzo, return the chicken thighs to the pan, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer everything covered for 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Finish the Dish: Once cooked, remove the chicken thighs. Sir in parmesan cheese and baby spinach. Stir until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust seasonings. Return the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
RECIPE TIPS
- If using a stainless steel pan, the chicken may seem like it’s sticking to the pan initially but will release once it is well browned. I used enameled cast iron for this dish and am really happy with the performance!
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs. If the thighs are very small, more can be used if they fit in the pan. See notes below for doubling recipe.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken thighs are cooked through.
HOW TO DOUBLE THE RECIPE
- Double all ingredients.
- Use a 6-quart dutch oven.
- Brown the chicken thighs in two batches.
- Cooking times will stay the same.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS
As I mentioned, these make some of my favorite leftovers! There are two options for storing and reheating leftovers. My preferred method with this particular recipe is to store the chicken thighs and orzo in separate tightly covered containers in the refrigerator. For crispy chicken thighs, reheat chicken thighs in an air fryer, then microwave or warm orzo on the stovetop. It’s absolutely delicious! Alternatively, you can simply refrigerate the chicken and orzo together and reheat on the stove over low heat or microwave until hot. Refrigerate all leftovers promptly and consume within three days.
MORE ONE POT CHICKEN RECIPES TO TRY
One Pot Chicken and Mushroom Orzo
Equipment
- 3 quart Skillet or Sauté Pan with Lid
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs 4 large chicken thighs about 1/2 pound each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 16 oz Baby Bella mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz dried orzo (1/2 of a 16 oz package of orzo)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese freshly shredded
- Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Toss chicken thighs with olive oil, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and paprika. Carefully place chicken thighs skin side down in preheated pan and brown 4-5 minutes on each side. Skin side should be crispy and golden. Chicken thighs do not need to be cooked through at this point. Remove thighs from skillet and set aside. Add mushrooms to pan and brown. After mushrooms are lightly browned, season mushrooms with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add garlic mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth to pan and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to deglaze and scrape skillet. Bring broth to a boil. Stir in orzo. Return chicken thighs to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer covered for 20 minutes or until chicken thighs reach a minimum temperature of 165℉.
- When chicken is done cooking, remove thighs from skillet. Stir in parmesan and baby spinach. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Return chicken thighs to pan and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Nutrition
5 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
My five FAVORITE recipes for busy families!
- Quick to make
- Light on your budget
- Easy to clean-up
- and...most important...absolutely DELICIOUS
I love how delicious all the flavors all, but just as important to me is how easy it was to clean up! I’m a big fan of one pan meals.
I can already tell this is going to be a regular in my weeknight rotation. Plus I love how the orzo soaked up all those savory juices, making every bite flavorful.
I made the One Pot Chicken and Mushroom Orzo for dinner, and it was an absolute hit! The creamy sauce with the earthy mushrooms and tender chicken was comfort food at its best.
This turned out really delicious. I did substitute white button mushrooms but otherwise I did not change a thing.
This is such the perfect dinner on busy weeknights! So easy to make and really flavorful, it was really good!
This turned out so good! I love that it was one pan less mess!