Chicken Orzo Stew
This easy, healthy, one-pan meal boasts fluffy orzo pasta, tender chicken, tomatoes, aromatics, herbs, and parmesan cheese. And since the pasta and chicken cook in the savory sauce, the amount of flavor in both is beyond.
This stew is brothy, herby, and undeniably healthy. There’s just 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese in the entire dish. No cream, no butter, just lean chicken, pasta, tomatoes, herbs, onion, and garlic. The dish is seriously satisfying too, so you don’t need much on the side – maybe a quick green salad and that’s it.
You can start with frozen chicken when making this chicken orzo stew. That’s what I did. The recipe below calls for cubed chicken, but if all you have is frozen, add it to the pot and once it’s tender enough to cut into smaller pieces, remove it from the pan, cut it, and return it to the pan.
What type of tomatoes should you use for this stew? Basically any kind you want. I used petite diced tomatoes because I wanted smaller, bite-size pieces, but you can use diced tomatoes (regular, fire-roasted, or the kind with seasonings), or tomato sauce, pureed tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and whole tomatoes (whole tomatoes will break down as they cook).
I can’t wait for you to try this easy, family-friendly recipe. You’ll have one plan to clean and a bunch of smiles around the table!
I used three different dried herbs in this stew. This chicken orzo stew boasts the floral essence of basil, parsley, and thyme – staples of your spice rack. If you’d rather use Italian seasoning or Mediterranean seasoning, they would work too.
What kind of pasta should you use? I used rice-shaped orzo pasta, but any small pasta shape will be great, including elbows, mini penne, acini de pepper, and small shells. For a gluten-free dish, use rice instead!
Chicken Orzo Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, tender, or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water, or more as needed
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 15- ounce can petite diced tomatoes, or tomatoes of choice, undrained
- 2 tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the dried basil, dried parsley, dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant.
- Add the broth and water and bring to a boil (increase the temperature to high if needed). Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and cook for 2 to 4 more minutes, until the pasta is tender, lowering the temperature as needed to keep the mixture at a gentle boil (add additional water if needed to keep the stew “saucy”). Season to taste with salt and black pepper
- Ladle the stew into bowls and top with basil or parsley (if using). Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.