Chicken and orzo with spinach and feta is a one-pan skillet dinner that's easy to make and has incredible flavor.
Layering the ingredients in to all cook together adds so much richness and cream cheese is used to make the sauce, making it creamy without being heavy.
Today's recipe for skillet chicken and orzo with spinach and feta is easy comfort food.
Every bite is just full of cozy goodness, and yet it's really on the lighter side.
The orzo gets deliciously creamy and flavorful from cooking in the broth with the onions and chicken and seasonings.
Plus we add cream cheese - one of my favorite tricks for making a healthier creamy sauce that doesn't use heavy cream - and serve it with feta cheese for all kinds of yumminess.
And this is a one skillet dinner that has the protein, carb and veggie all together.
Also, we're just layering in our ingredients along the way. Very low key. It's a great low-stress dinner for a night when your brain is tired.
OK, let's get cooking so you can get to eating.
Recipe Notes:
Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can also swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They are cut into ½ inch cubes, so it cooks in the same amount of time.
Cream cheese: You can use regular plain cream cheese or ⅓ reduced fat cream cheese for this recipe. I don't recommend using fat free cream cheese.
Feta: This gives the dish a bright, tangy finish and goes great with the orzo. You could substitute crumbled goat cheese if you prefer.
Spinach: I just toss it in as is. You could give it a rough chop if you'd like the pieces to be smaller.
Tip: Be sure you use a large skillet that has a lid, since this dish cooks covered for a bit of time.
And the fantastic thing is that this is an all-in-one dinner, no side dishes needed. It's ready to serve and you have figured out dinner once again.
(Oh and the leftovers keep great for lunch later in the week! Details in the recipe card below on how to store them.)
I hope you give this a try for a creamy chicken orzo dinner soon.
Happy cooking!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You might also like this healthy creamy Italian chicken or this creamy chipotle chicken for more recipes that use the cream cheese hack! Or browse all of our top creamy chicken recipes for more inspiration.
Skillet Chicken and Orzo with Spinach and Feta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 4 oz. plain cream cheese (reduced fat is OK)
- 5 oz. baby spinach
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
- Meanwhile, season the cubed chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on one side. Turn the pieces over and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side.
- Add the orzo, chicken broth and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Stir well to incorporate.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the skillet and cook for 12-14 minutes, until the orzo is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Uncover the skillet and stir in the cream cheese until well incorporated.
- Add the baby spinach and stir until it's wilted and incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the feta cheese and serve immediately.
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john mayer says
Extra tasty I highly recommend this Meal
Kathryn Doherty says
I'm so happy to hear you loved it John! Thank you for sharing! : )