Cajun Chicken Orzo

This Cajun Chicken Orzo Pasta is a healthy one pan dinner! It's made in a skillet with chicken breasts, spinach, and without heavy cream.

When it comes to weeknight dinners, it doesn't get any better than one pot or one pan meals. This Cajun Orzo Pasta is made in one skillet and only takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

One reason meals like this one are so great is that the whole thing is cooked in one pan, which helps to cut down on the amount of dishes and makes for easier cleanup. I'm for anything that means fewer dishes and less cleanup.

This dish is only made with a few ingredients, but it packs a lot of flavor. It's made in a skillet with chicken breasts and orzo pasta sautéed in a skillet with lots of garlic, onions, and Cajun seasoning.

Fresh spinach is added to the pasta for color and texture and it's served with some lemon zest and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

This pasta is made without heavy cream, so it's a bit lighter and healthier than many Cajun chicken pasta recipes out there. The Cajun seasoning makes it a little spicy and keeps you wanting to come back for more.

Is Orzo A Rice Or Pasta?

Orzo is a variety of pasta that is shaped like a grain of rice. It's made from flour just like any other pasta, even though its shape might suggest otherwise.

Orzo is used extensively in Mediterranean and Italian cuisines. It's perfect added to light pasta dishes, salads, soups, and dishes like these Greek Stuffed Peppers.

It looks like Arborio rice but the two are not the same thing. Arborio rice is actually a type of rice and is used to make risotto. Arborio rice is also gluten free whereas orzo pasta is not.

To make this recipe gluten free, I opted to use gluten free orzo pasta. Gluten free orzo can be found in specialty or health food grocery stores, or available for purchase online.

Feel free to use regular orzo if gluten is not an issue for you. Regular orzo is available in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store.

Ingredients For Cajun Chicken Orzo

It only takes a few ingredients to prepare this chicken orzo skillet meal.

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 onion (any color) (can sub 2 shallots)
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil (split)
• 1 ½ lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tbsp. Cajun Seasoning (adjust to taste)
• ½ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper (split)
• 12 oz. Gluten Free Orzo (or regular orzo if not gluten free)
• 3 ¼ cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1 8 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 2 packed cups Spinach (chopped) (or hearty greens of choice)
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded) plus more for garnish
• Lemon Zest

Feel free to swap out the spinach for any leafy greens of choice. Curly or Lacinato kale, Swiss chard, or arugula may be used in place of fresh spinach.

It's best to use fresh spinach instead of frozen, as frozen spinach has a much higher water content and may alter the texture of the pasta.

Sauté Chicken In Skillet

The only steps needed to get started on this pasta are to mince the garlic and onions (or shallots) and to roughly chop the spinach. Also, the chicken is cut into chunks before it is sautéed in the skillet.

Once the chicken is diced into chunks, it is sautéed along with olive oil, salt and pepper in a skillet. This helps to sear the chicken and seal in the juices.

The chicken is added back into the pasta near the end of the cooking process so that it does not overcook and dry out.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). You can sub 2 shallots in place of the onion if you prefer. Shallots are great if you prefer a milder onion flavor.
2. Roughly chop 2 packed cups of fresh spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
3. Dice 1 ½ lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into chunks. Make sure the chicken is relatively the same size to ensure that it cooks evenly.
4. Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high.
5. Once heated, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
6. After the oil is heated (the chicken should sizzle as it hits the skillet), add the diced chicken along with ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper.
7. Sauté the chicken for 5 minutes on the first side.
8. Flip the chicken and add another ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for another 5 minutes on the second side.
9. After the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet along with the juices and set aside.

Make sure that the chicken is fully cooked. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and may be checked using a food thermometer if needed.

How To Make Cajun Chicken Orzo

Once cooked, the chicken is removed and the garlic, onions, and spices are sautéed in olive oil. This helps to toast the spices and creates a more robust flavor.

This recipe calls for 1 Tbsp. of Cajun seasoning and I would describe the finished dish as 'mildly spicy'. If you prefer a spicier dish, feel free to add a bit more Cajun seasoning or add a bit of cayenne pepper to the skillet in addition to the Cajun spice.

The orzo pasta is then added to the skillet along with some low sodium chicken broth and tomato sauce. The pasta is simmered in the sauce for 8-10 minutes and cooked just until al dente.

It's important not to overcook the pasta, or it may become mushy.

1. After removing the chicken from the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add another Tbsp. of olive oil.
2. Add the minced garlic and onions (or shallots) to the skillet and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute along with the garlic and onions, stirring occasionally.
4. Add 12 oz. gluten free orzo (or regular orzo) to the skillet and toss until completely coated in the oil and spices.
5. Add 3 ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth and 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce to the skillet and stir until incorporated.
6. Bring the pasta to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
7. Make sure to stir the pasta often, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon or spatula. The orzo will stick to the bottom and the skillet must be scraped to prevent it from sticking.
8. Cook just until the pasta is al dente (it will look 'creamy' at this point).

How To Keep Orzo Pasta From Becoming Mushy

As mentioned, it's important not to overcook the orzo pasta, or it may become mushy.

After 8-10 minutes the orzo should be al dente. At this point the cooked chicken, along with the chopped spinach and shredded Parmesan cheese are added to the skillet.

1. Once the orzo pasta is al dente, add the cooked chicken and juices back into the skillet.
2. Add the chopped spinach (or hearty greens of choice) to the skillet along with ½ a cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Stir the spinach and cheese into the skillet until completely combined.
4. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the greens have wilted, the cheese melted, and the pasta has absorbed all the liquid.

Feel free to taste the pasta at this point. If you feel like it is too spicy, you can add some heavy cream to balance it out. Start with 1-2 Tbsp. of heavy cream and add more if needed.

What To Serve With Cajun Orzo Pasta

Once the pasta is done, serve with some lemon zest and additional Parmesan cheese. A Microplane zester works great for adding lemon zest and extra cheese to the dish.

I recommend adding the lemon zest, as it helps to brighten up the flavors. You can also garnish the pasta with some freshly minced herbs such as parsley or chives if you'd like some extra color and flavor.

This Cajun pasta is great served with a vegetable side dish like roasted green beans, sautéed broccoli rabe, or a simple green salad.

It's great with a flavorful salad like this snap pea mint salad or pickled beet feta salad.

If you love Cajun flavor, be sure to check out these Cajun Shrimp Tacos!

How Long Does This Pasta Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover pasta can be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Be sure to allow it to cool completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.

Can It Be Frozen?

For the best texture, I do not recommend freezing this pasta.

It's best enjoyed right away or within a few days.

Looking for more chicken recipes? Don't miss these!

• Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken
• Chicken Marsala Pasta
• Gluten Free Chicken Stew
• Sheet Pan Greek Chicken
• Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Love pasta? Check out these recipes!

• Ground Turkey Orzo Pasta
• Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta
• Leek Pancetta Pasta
• Vegetable Pesto Orzo Pasta
• Pancetta Kale Pasta
• One Pot Veggie Pasta
• Skillet Vegetarian Lasagna

Looking For More Healthy Sides To Serve With Pasta? Don't Miss These!

Sautéed Zucchini

Cilantro Lime Cucumber Salad

Herb Salad

Cajun Chicken Orzo

Christine Rooney

This Cajun Chicken Orzo Pasta is a healthy one pan dinner! It's made in a skillet with chicken breasts, spinach, and without heavy cream.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 487 kcal

Equipment

• Large Skillet

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 onion any color, can sub 2 shallots
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil split
• 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
• ½ tsp. kosher salt split
• ½ tsp. pepper split
• 12 oz. gluten free orzo pasta or regular orzo pasta if not gluten free
• 3 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 packed cups spinach or leafy greens of choice
• ½ cups Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for garnish
• 1 lemon zest only
• fresh herbs such as parsley or chives for garnish optional

Instructions

 

• Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). You can sub 2 shallots in place of the onion if you prefer.

  Shallots are great if you prefer a milder onion flavor.
• Roughly chop 2 packed cups of fresh spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
• Dice 1 ½ lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into chunks. Make sure the chicken is relatively the same size to ensure that it cooks evenly.
• Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet.
• After the oil is heated (the chicken should sizzle as it hits the skillet), add the diced chicken along with ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken for 5 minutes on the first side.
• Flip the chicken and add another ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for another 5 minutes on the second side. After the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the skillet along with the juices and set aside.

  Make sure that the chicken is cooked through. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit and may be checked using a food thermometer if needed.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add another Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the minced garlic and onions (or shallots) to the skillet and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute along with the garlic and onions, stirring occasionally.
• Add 12 oz. gluten free orzo (or regular orzo) to the skillet and toss until completely coated in the oil and spices.
• Add 3 ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth and 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce to the skillet and stir until incorporated. Bring the pasta to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
• Make sure to stir the pasta often, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon or spatula. The orzo will stick to the bottom and the skillet must be scraped to prevent it from sticking.

  Cook just until the pasta is al dente (it will look 'creamy' at this point).
• Add the cooked chicken and juices back into the skillet, along with the chopped spinach and ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Stir the spinach and cheese into the skillet until completely combined.
• Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the greens have wilted, the cheese melted, and the pasta has absorbed all the liquid.
• To Serve: Serve pasta with some lemon zest and extra grated Parmesan cheese. Feel free to garnish with some freshly minced herbs such as parsley or chives (optional).

Notes

Feel free to swap out the spinach for any leafy greens of choice. Curly or Lacinato kale, Swiss chard, or arugula may be used in place of fresh spinach.

This recipe calls for 1 Tbsp. of Cajun seasoning. I would describe the finished dish as 'mildly spicy'. If you prefer a spicier dish, feel free to add a bit more Cajun seasoning or add a bit of cayenne pepper to the skillet in addition to the Cajun spice.

Alternately, if you find that it is too spicy, feel free to add a bit of heavy cream to tone down the spice.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 38gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 649mgPotassium: 880mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1511IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 146mgIron: 3mg

Keyword cajun orzo pasta, one pan chicken orzo, chicken orzo spinach pasta

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