This Brown Butter Marry Me Chicken Orzo is a delicious one-skillet, creamy dish made with a rich, creamy, cheesy tomato orzo, topped with tender, juicy seared chicken breast. It's a complete meal that is sure to impress, but comes together in about 30 minutes!

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We absolutely love a gourmet-tasting dish that is easy to prepare. Who says you can't make something showstopping without too much effort? We ramp up the flavor with a bit of browned butter, and plenty of aromatics. The results are truly decadent and delicious.
Just like this shrimp scampi orzo, this dish goes great with a glass of wine for a special occasion, but it's also the perfect quick meal for a weeknight!
Looking for more yummy chicken dinners? Try this cheesy corn chicken skillet, this jalapeno popper chicken skillet, or this garlic parmesan chicken pasta!
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❤️Why We Love This Recipe
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients. This recipe is made with simple staples found at any grocery store or in the pantry.
- Hearty and flavorful. This recipe is super hearty and filling while being absolutely packed with flavor!
- Impressive and easy. It shouldn't take a ton of time to make something impressive! If you want to show off for a special someone and still have plenty of time to spend together, make this dish!
🧄Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil. Drain the oil, and save it to fry your eggs or the chicken in this dish. We then chop up the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
- Oil. Any oil that can tolerate high heat will work well to give the chicken a good sear. We don't want to cook the chicken in butter because the butter will burn, but the butter comes in later to cook the aromatics and finish the dish for flavor.
- Butter. We recommend using a high-quality, European-style unsalted butter for this recipe. Unsalted butter is best for this recipe to make it easier to control the salt in this dish.
- White wine. Opt for a dry, white wine with citrusy notes to complement the recipe.
- Lemon. If possible, use an organic lemon because we will be using the zest.
- Chicken. We used breasts and cut them in half lengthwise so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Chicken stock. To cook the orzo and give it extra flavor.
- Parmesan cheese. Grate it fresh so it melts nicely into the sauce. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly.
- Spinach. We used fresh spinach and chopped it up into smaller pieces.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-free. Use a gluten-free orzo variation, everything else in this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Use leftover chicken. If you have leftover cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken, feel free to use that instead! You may just want to add a bit of extra Italian seasoning and smoked paprika to the orzo for extra flavor if you use pre-cooked chicken.
- Swap shallots. Use onions instead of shallots!
- Use half-and-half. No heavy cream? Half and half will also make this dish rich and creamy!
- Swap the stock. If you don't have chicken stock, feel free to use veggie stock or water.
- Alcohol-free. Don't want to cook with wine? No problem, just swap it for any vegetable stock or water.
This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!
🔪Prep Work
- Dice shallots and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Chop spinach.
- Mince garlic.
- Grate parmesan cheese.
- Measure out the remaining ingredients.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
Instructions
Brown the butter
This step is technically optional, but we highly recommend it! In a light-colored saucepan, brown the butter.
Over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, cook until the butter is golden brown with an amber color and gives off a nutty aroma, then remove it from the heat and transfer it to another container to cool.
Season the chicken & add to the pan
Season the chicken breasts with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper on all sides, then add to a hot skillet with oil.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes on one side before flipping over.
Cook the chicken through
Sear the chicken on both sides until a nice crust forms, and it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F with an instant-read thermometer, then set the chicken aside to rest before slicing into them.
Pro Tip
Cook the chicken in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan so you get a nice crust. The time it takes for the chicken to cook will depend on how thick the chicken is, so we highly recommend using an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature.
Cook tomatoes and shallots
Add about 2 tablespoons of browned butter to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low, followed by the shallots, the sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste with a large pinch of salt.
Add the orzo
Cook until the shallots have softened and the tomato paste has deepened in color, about 4-5 minutes, then add in the orzo and toast for about 1 minute.
Add aromatics
Next, add the garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes to the mixture. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deglaze the pan
Deglaze the pan with white wine and stir until the wine is absorbed cook for a few minutes to cook out the alcohol, then add in the chicken stock.
Cook the orzo
Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the orzo is al dente according to the package directions.
Pro Tip
We'd recommend undercooking the orzo slightly at this stage so when adding cream and the additional ingredients, it doesn't get overcooked and mushy.
Add parmesan, cream, & spinach
Once the orzo is cooked, reduce the heat to low, then add in the cream and begin stirring in small handfuls of parmesan cheese until melted, alongside the spinach stirring to wilt.
Pro Tip
Add cheese slowly and melt completely before adding the next handful to ensure it melts completely and doesn't clump in the sauce.
Add back the browned butter
Add the remaining browned butter to the dish to give it a glossy finish and a nutty taste.
Finish the dish
Add the orzo to plates, top with chicken garnish with parsley and lemon juice, and enjoy!
Storage
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a bit of broth, or in the microwave.
We don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
Expert Tips
- Don't skip browning the butter! This adds SO much flavor and makes this dish so delicious.
- Cook the chicken with lots of seasoning for best results. If you want to use pre-cooked chicken to save more time, we're not judging, but we will say, that cooking the chicken with lots of seasoning will make this dish incredibly delicious!
- Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken. Give the chicken space in the pan. This ensures that it will get a nice crust and sears instead of steams.
- Let the chicken rest before cutting in. This allows the juices to be re-absorbed by the chicken, keeping it juicy.
- Cook the orzo al dente. Overcooking the orzo will make it mushy, so undercook it slightly!
- Use freshly grated parmesan and add it slowly. Make sure each handful of cheese is melted and incorporated before adding the next. This makes sure the cheese doesn't clump up. On that note, freshly grated cheese melts best.
💬Common Questions
You are likely adding it too fast or with too high of heat. Make sure to add it slowly, one handful at a time, stirring until it's completely melted before adding another handful over low heat, or even off the heat!
🍲More Tasty Dinners
Looking for more delicious dinners to try.
🍴Pairing
Here are a few of our favorite dishes to serve with this Marry Me chicken orzo:
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📖 Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
Brown butter
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
Orzo
- 3 large shallots diced
- 10 ounces sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups orzo 300g
- 14 cloves garlic minced
- ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional and to taste
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup white wine could swap for stock
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream 120 ml
- 3-5 ounces parmesan cheese grated
- 5 ounces fresh spinach stems removed & chopped
- Garnish with fresh lemon juice and parsley optional
Instructions
Brown butter
- In a light-colored pan, add unsalted butter. Heat over medium until it has a nutty aroma, stirring occasionally and watching carefully to prevent burning. Transfer to a separate container to cool.8 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cook the chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with kosher salt, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and black pepper generously on all sides.2 pounds chicken breast, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Add oil and cook chicken for 4-5 minutes in a single layer, then flip and continue cooking until chicken is 165°F internally.2 tablespoons oil
- Don't overcrowd the pan & work in batches if necessary. Set the chicken aside to rest before slicing.
Orzo
- Add about 2 tablespoons of browned butter to the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Add diced shallots, the drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook with salt until the shallots have softened and the tomato paste has deepened in color, about 4-5 minutes.3 large shallots, 10 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, 4 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Add in the dry orzo and toast for 1-2 minutes, then add in lots of minced garlic, lemon zest and optional red chili flakes to taste. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.2 cups orzo, 14 cloves garlic, ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, zest of 1 lemon
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine and stir until the wine is absorbed. Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook out the alcohol.1 cup white wine
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil until the orzo is al dente, according to the package directions.3 cups chicken stock
- Reduce the heat to low, then add the cream and begin stirring in parmesan cheese in small handfuls, stirring to melt completely between each handful before adding the rest. Add in the chopped spinach and stir to wilt.½ cup heavy cream, 3-5 ounces parmesan cheese, 5 ounces fresh spinach
- Finish the dish with the remaining browned butter to give it a delicious glossy finish and nutty taste!
- Serve with the chicken. Garnish with parsley, and lemon juice. Enjoy!Garnish with fresh lemon juice and parsley
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a bit of broth, or in the microwave. We don't recommend freezing the leftovers.
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Notes
- Don't skip browning the butter! This adds SO much flavor and makes this dish so delicious.
- Cook the chicken with lots of seasoning for best results. If you want to use pre-cooked chicken to save more time, we're not judging, but we will say, that cooking the chicken with lots of seasoning will make this dish incredibly delicious!
- Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken. Give the chicken space in the pan. This ensures that it will get a nice crust and sears instead of steams.
- Let the chicken rest before cutting in. This allows the juices to be re-absorbed by the chicken, keeping it juicy.
- Cook the orzo al dente. Overcooking the orzo will make it mushy, so undercook it slightly!
- Use freshly grated parmesan and add it slowly. Make sure each handful of cheese is melted and incorporated before adding the next. This makes sure the cheese doesn't clump up. On that note, freshly grated cheese melts best.
Briana says
This meal is SO delicious! Creamy, slightly spicy, cheesy, and herbaceous, in a rich tomato broth? What's not to love?! We just know you're gonna love this one as much as we do!