And I’m back with another chicken and orzo dinner. I hope you’re not over these types of recipes that we here clearly find so delicious. But this is a special one. It’s inspired by my mom and her love of soup, chicken, and noodles. I wanted to create an all-in-one dinner similar to the dishes we would make when I was growing up in Cleveland. This time of year always makes me think back to those days. When I was in 2nd and 3rd grade I would get out of school almost 2 hours earlier than my brothers, at 2:45 pm. These were my greatest school days. I LOVED getting out early and having that special time with my mom. In the late fall and winter, a lot of times my mom would cook me the Lipton noodle dishes that came in a pouch. They were noodles in a creamy chicken broth. We both used to eat them huddled by the fire, loving every bite. We don’t cook those anymore, but I’ve always wanted to recreate the flavors. And I finally did! Look, I’ve made a ton of skillet chicken and orzo dishes. But I’m telling you, this one might just be my favorite of the bunch. And it’s so easy.
The details
I love a one-skillet dinner, so that was key for this recipe. Start off by cooking the onion, then add a mix of chicken breasts and chicken thighs. I always use skinless chicken, because my family is weird and they will not eat skin-on chicken. Use whatever type of chicken you and you’re family love! The next ingredient is what makes this dish. A small amount of curry powder. I know that sounds really odd, but the curry powder adds a bright color and subtle warm flavors that are just right. It’s almost like a golden butter chicken soup, but not quite a soup. Either way, it’s completely delicious and sets this dish apart. Now toss in the butter, add some celery and carrots, some thyme and sage, and then pour over the apple cider and broth. Add a whole head of garlic and a parmesan rind, then place the entire skillet in the oven to finish cooking. During the last 10 minutes is when I add in the orzo. If you want this to be brothy, you can add additional broth. We like it brothy, but still thicker than soup.
For serving
I usually add a little fresh parsley or thyme and some black pepper and sea salt. and again, crusty bread on the side is a must. It’s a little different twist on chicken and pasta, but so, so good. And who couldn’t love how easy this is? It’s fancy, but then it’s not. Great for this time of year! Looking for other simple? Here are a few ideas: Crockpot Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo One Pot Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo Creamy White Bean Noodle Soup with Rosemary Bacon Mustard Herb Chicken and Creamy Orzo Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Jalapeño Ranch Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese Pasta Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bolognese Lastly, if you make this Roasted Herb Butter Chicken and Orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
