Hey fellow foodies! As a mom with young children and a busy schedule, I am always on the lookout for quick, easy, and delicious recipes. And let me tell you, this chicken mushroom orzo skillet is a game-changer! My teens and toddlers love this as is, but it’s also easily adaptable for picky eaters!
This easy skillet dinner is perfect for a family meal or a dinner party. It’s made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, like orzo pasta, chicken broth, and parmesan cheese. And the best part? It’s ready in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients for Chicken Mushroom Orzo Skillet
Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are juicy and flavorful. You can also use chicken breasts if you prefer.
Orzo pasta: Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that is perfect for this dish. It cooks quickly and absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients.
Chicken broth: Chicken broth (or chicken stock) is the base of the sauce for this dish. It adds richness and depth of flavor. I used granulated bouillon because it’s fast and easy! You could also use vegetable broth if that’s all you have on hand.
Parmesan cheese: Grated parmesan cheese is stirred into the orzo, making it creamy and adding a savory, salty flavor.
Mushrooms: This recipe calls for baby bella mushrooms, but you could also use a mix of cremini, shiitake, and white button mushrooms. Sliced mushrooms add an earthy, meaty flavor to the dish.
Onion and garlic: Diced yellow onion and minced garlic are sauteed in butter before adding the orzo, giving the dish a flavorful base. I use yellow onion but large shallots of white onion would work great too.
Fresh herbs or dried herbs: Fresh thyme and parsley are stirred into the orzo, adding a fresh, herby flavor.
Salt and pepper: Kosher salt and black pepper are used to season the chicken.
Oil: A little oil is used to cook the chicken – you can use olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil which is my favorite for most recipes.
Butter: Unsalted butter is used to saute the mushrooms, onions, garlic and asparagus. It adds richness and flavor to the sauce.
Optional Ingredients and Variations for Chicken Mushroom Orzo
This dish as is has great flavor and is sure to appease your family or a larger crowd (it’s easy to double this recipe and make it for a potlluck!) But there’s also room for variation and improvement – here are some things you could try experimenting with:
White wine: White wine adds a bright, acidic note to the dish, which helps balance the richness of the sauce. You can add 1/3 cup to the pan either while browning the chicken or as you’re sautéing the onions, garlic and mushrooms.
Cream: Heavy cream can be added to the sauce, making it even creamier and more indulgent. If you want to add cream, drizzle some slowly to the chicken and vegetable mixture after you’ve combined them together, before adding the orzo to the pan.
Lemon juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens up the dish and adds a zesty, citrusy note.
Spinach: Baby spinach can be added to the orzo at the end of the cooking process, adding another pop of color and a nutritional boost.
Red pepper flakes: A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a bit of heat to the dish, but you can leave them out if you prefer. My husband is from the midwest – he considers black pepper to be too spicy – so I sometimes sprinkle red pepper flakes onto my own bowl after serving.
How to Make 30 Minute Chicken Mushroom Orzo Skillet
Ready to create this yummy, easy meal? Here are the easy steps to make this chicken and orzo dish. It can be done in about 30 minutes – unless you’re like me and you’ve got a gaggle of toddlers under foot every time you’re in the kitchen – in which case it may take closer to 45 minutes!
Instructions:
- Start a pot of water and bring to a boil
- Add 4 tsp of the granulated chicken bouillon
- Add whole package of orzo to the water and cook until done, about 9 minutes.
- Strain over a bowl, saving the liquid for later.
- In a large pan heat the oil over medium high heat.
- Add diced chicken thighs, sprinkle with a small amount of salt and a generous amount of pepper.
- Cook the chicken until cooked through and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside, leaving some of those yummy browned bits in the pan.
- Add butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
- Add the quartered baby bella mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the liquid has evaporated.
- Turn heat to medium high and get those mushrooms browned up a bit, about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn back down to medium and add the diced onions and garlic.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant.
- Add chopped asparagus to the pan, turn up to medium-high heat and cover.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, until asparagus is softened but not mushy.
- Add the chicken into the mushroom, onion, garlic and asparagus mixture and turn heat to low.
- Add your strained orzo to the pan.
- Slowly add some of the reserved orzo cooking liquid, to really boost the flavors of the mushroom and chicken mixture. You don’t want this to be a soup, you just want to add a level of creaminess to the dish.
- Pour in your parmesan cheese and lightly dried herbs.
- Mix to incorporate and serve immediately with additional parmesan and herbs.
- Enjoy!
Savory Chicken Mushroom Orzo Skillet
Indulge in the mouth-watering flavor explosion of our savory chicken mushroom orzo skillet. Tender, bite-sized pieces of chicken thighs, cooked to perfection, are combined with earthy Baby Bella mushrooms, crisp asparagus, and aromatic onions and garlic to create a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs (6 small thighs) cut into small, bite sized pieces
- 16 oz box of Orzo
- Package of Baby Bella Mushrooms
- 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped into 1 inch lengths
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5-7 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup of parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp Gourmet Garden lightly dried italian herbs
- 3 tbsp Avocado Oil or Coconut Oil
- 4 tsp of Herb Ox Chicken Granulated Bouillon
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Start a pot of water and bring to a boil
- Add 4 tsp of the granulated chicken bouillon
- Add whole package of orzo to the water and cook until done, about 9 minutes.
- Strain over a bowl, saving the liquid for later.
- In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat
- Add diced chicken thighs, sprinkle with a small amount of salt and a generous amount of pepper.
- Cook the chicken until cooked through and slightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Add butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
- Add the quartered baby bella mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the liquid has evaporated.
- Turn heat to medium high and get those mushrooms browned up a bit.
- Turn back down to medium and add the diced onions and garlic.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant.
- Add chopped asparagus to the pan, turn heat up to medium high and cover.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, until asparagus is softened but not mushy.
- Add the chicken into the mushroom, onion, garlic and asparagus mixture and turn heat to low.
- Add your strained orzo to the pan.
- Slowly add some of the reserved orzo cooking liquid, to really boost the flavors of the mushroom and chicken mixture. You don't want this to be a soup, you just want to add a level of creaminess to the dish.
- Pour in your parmesan cheese and lightly dried herbs.
- Mix to incorporate and serve immediately with additional parmesan and herbs.
- Enjoy!