Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Orzo Skillet

This creamy Tuscan chicken and orzo skillet is simple, cozy, and only uses one pan! It has creamy Parmesan orzo, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and seasoned chicken thighs for a super flavorful, satisfying dinner. You definitely need to add this one to your dinner rotation!

“This recipe was amazing! I loved everything about it…I had a small dinner party and my guests went back for seconds. So easy to make and yet seemed so complex and elegant.” – Janine

January is cold and soggy and doesn’t have any of the sparkly joy of Christmas, blah, blah, blah we all know about it. So I won’t go on even though I’m pouting. But, if we all must do the January thing, we should at least get some cozy, one-skillet dinners about it. I’m talking carbs. I’m talking cheese! Let’s hear it for crispy chicken skin, one of life’s most decadent pleasures.

This is the kind of meal that sticks to your bones and gives you the warm-and-fuzzies. Like Dutch oven chicken and dumplings or marry me chicken pasta, it’s an ‘eat on the couch, watch the snow out the window, chat with friends over wine’ kind of dinner.

I’m even sharing my secrets for super crispy chicken skin that I learned when I was in culinary school, so you know it’s gonna be good. Let’s make it!

I love making this skillet for dinner parties

Ok, truth be told, there’s nothing in this recipe that necessarily makes it ‘Tuscan’. But it does have Tuscan-inspired ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, greens, Parmesan, lemon, and garlic. And with seasoned, crispy-skin chicken? Unbelievably delicious for parties and special get-togethers!

• This is a one-pan recipe. Everything gets cooked up in a big skillet.
• The recipe comes together quickly and easily. Less than an hour!
• Seriously, this meal is beyond delicious. Ridiculously flavorful!
• It’s elegant enough for dinner parties but simple enough for Sunday dinner.

Tuscan-inspired ingredients

• Chicken thighs – you’ll need bone-in and skin-on for the best flavor!
• Veggies – shallots give this recipe a sweet onion flavor and chopped kale adds some greenery.
• Orzo – this is a thin, oval, rice-shaped pasta that is oftentimes used in a similar way to rice. Even though it looks like a grain, it’s actually a pasta made out of durum wheat. You can find it in the pasta aisle of the grocery store!
• Dry white wine – just a splash for acidity. I like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
• Chicken broth – I use Better Than Bullion but any low-sodium chicken broth will work.
• Cream – you can use heavy cream or half-and-half depending on how creamy you want the pasta to be.
• Parmesan – freshly-grated please! Pre-grated parm has additives that will make the cheese clump up.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – I prefer the kind that come in oil because they’re softer. But bagged sun-dried tomatoes are ok too!
• Lemon – a splash of lemon juice cuts through the richness of the pasta.
• Spices – onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sage, garlic, fresh thyme, and red pepper flakes.
• Kitchen basics – olive oil, Morton’s Kosher salt, and freshly-ground black pepper.

Season & sear the chicken

1. First, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sage. Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over the chicken thighs along with some salt and pepper. Using clean hands, pat the rub into the chicken thighs.
2. Next, sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until they’re crisp and golden-brown. Flip and sear for another 2-3 minutes. Set the chicken thighs on a plate.

Here’s how I learned how to get perfectly crisp chicken skin in culinary school! Place the chicken skin-side down in super hot, shimmering oil – don’t move it! Once the chicken easily releases from the pan, it’s ready to go. If it’s still sticking to the pan, keep cooking.

Make the dish

1. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until they’re soft and brown on the edges. Pour in the orzo and cook until it’s toasted. Then, add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes and sauté until everything is fragrant.
2. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Then, pour the chicken broth over the orzo and boil until the pasta is cooked halfway.
3. Next, stir in the cream, Parmesan, kale, and sun-dried tomatoes until the kale wilts.
4. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the orzo. Then, pop the skillet in the oven and cook until the orzo is soft and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Finish the dish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Other cuts of chicken

I like chicken thighs best but the recipe would definitely work with other cuts! If you still want to use dark meat, I would use drumsticks in place of the chicken thighs. If you like white meat, use chicken breasts instead. Depending on your tastes, you can use boneless, skinless or bone-in, skin-on breasts in this recipe.

Just keep in mind that, depending on the size, drumsticks and breasts may cook quicker than thighs. Use a meat thermometer to keep from overcooking the chicken. It’s ready when the chicken reaches 165°F. If necessary, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest while the orzo continues cooking.

Serving tips

While this skillet is a meal in itself, sometimes I like to add a simple side dish to round out the meal. For veggies, I like lemony green beans, charred broccoli, or a simple green salad with sherry shallot dressing. It’s also amazing with garlic butter dinner rolls or cheesy pesto stuffed garlic bread!

Refrigerating & reheating

Pop any leftovers in an airtight container. Then, refrigerate for up for 3 days. To reheat the leftovers, they can be microwaved for 1-2 minutes until hot throughout. Keep in mind, the skin won’t be as crispy!

Personally, I like to reheat leftovers in the oven so the skin crisps up. Place the leftovers in a baking dish and add a splash of chicken broth to the orzo to keep it from drying out. Next, bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

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