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Sooo good! This dreamy one-pan marry me chicken orzo recipe combines golden, crispy-skinned chicken thighs with tender orzo pasta in a rich, sun-dried tomato cream sauce that’s guaranteed to win hearts and rings. This viral sensation is perfect for busy weeknight dinners or date night by candlelight!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
A Note from Cheryl
I actually debuted this one pan marry me chicken orzo on my 40 Aprons Substack, and everyone LOVED IT. By the way, Substack is where I share exclusive recipes and more personal content because I miss sharing that side of myself (feel free to subscribe here). But this dish is so incredibly delicious that I couldn’t keep it off the main site. Enjoy devouring this one up!
Why This Recipe is So Good
- Take all the classic flavors of our highly popular Marry Me Chicken—parmesan, heavy cream, fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes—and add chicken thighs with crispy skin and tender meat, and then top it off with tasty orzo for a comforting, satisfying, dinner!
- This marry me chicken and orzo is a complete meal in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time with your family, but it’s also amazing for a cozy date night. I love a versatile dish!
- Adding chicken thighs will be budget-friendly! Thighs typically cost significantly less than chicken breasts while delivering more flavor and staying incredibly juicy. We sear them first to get that gorgeous golden skin, then they finish cooking in the oven while staying tender and flavorful. Sooo yummy!
More Marry Me Recipes You’ll Love
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Don’t skip the searing step – that golden-brown skin on the chicken thighs isn’t just pretty-looking, it’s packed with flavor that gets transferred to the entire dish when you deglaze the pan.
- I highly recommend using bone-in, skin-on thighs for the best marry me orzo chicken, because they stay incredibly moist during cooking and the bones add extra flavor to the sauce. Boneless thighs work too, but reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
- Don’t forget, every brand of chicken broth has different sodium levels, so always taste your finished sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.
- For the most awesome dining experience, this dish is at its absolute peak when served fresh and hot, while that orzo is perfectly creamy and the chicken skin is still crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is best served immediately, but you can prep the ingredients earlier in the day. The orzo will absorb more sauce as it sits, so you may need to add a splash of broth when reheating.
You can sear the chicken in a regular skillet, then transfer everything to a 9×13 baking dish for the oven portion. Just make sure to scrape up all those flavorful to-die-for brown bits!
I hate to discourage using other pasta, but orzo works best because it cooks evenly in the liquid, but you could try other small pasta shapes like ditalini or small shells. Just keep an eye on the cooking time.
More Incredible Chicken Recipes
- Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
- Mississippi Chicken Pot Roast
- Creamy Ranch Chicken
- Cheesy Pesto Chicken
- Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken
- Crockpot Boursin Chicken
- Creamy Dijon Chicken
- Greek Chicken Skillet with Orzo, Feta, and Spinach
- Hot Honey Chicken Skillet
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Skillet
- Creamy Chicken Piccata
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Skillet
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet 10-12 inch cast iron or stainless steel
- instant read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Base
- 4 to 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil like avocado or canola
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
For the Orzo and Sauce
- ½ cup julienned or chopped sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed, drained
- ½ cup white wine or more chicken broth
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth plus more as needed
- 1 ½ cups orzo dry
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Optional Garnish
- Chopped fresh basil
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prep the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat 4 to 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook undisturbed 5 to 6 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Flip chicken and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to plate and set aside.
Make the Sauce
- Add 3 cloves minced garlic and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to same skillet. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and ½ cup white wine. Scrape up browned bits and let reduce 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in 2½ cups chicken broth and bring to simmer.
Cook the Orzo
- Add 1½ cups dry orzo and bring to gentle boil. Remove from heat.
- Nestle chicken thighs into orzo mixture skin-side up.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until chicken reaches 175°F internal temperature and orzo is tender.
Finish and Serve
- Remove chicken and set aside. Stir ¾ cup heavy cream and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese into orzo until melted and creamy.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Return chicken to skillet.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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