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Quick and delicious Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus that can be on your dinner table in only 30 minutes! Cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness!
![Quick and delicious Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus that can be on your dinner table in only 30 minutes! Cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness! #parmesanorzo #chicken #30minutemeals Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus](https://cravinghomecooked.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/creamy-parmesan-orzo-wtih-chicken-and-asparagus-1-4.jpg)
This creamy, cheesy, Parmesan orzo is my kind of dish and the kind of dish I could have every single night for lunch or dinner. What’s not to like? You’ve got your proteins, your veggies, and my favorite part, the Parmesan orzo.
This dish is everything. This is all I need to be a happy girl.
![Quick and delicious Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus that can be on your dinner table in only 30 minutes! Cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness! #parmesanorzo #chicken #30minutemeals Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus](https://cravinghomecooked.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/creamy-parmesan-orzo-with-chicken-and-asparagus-process-shots-1.jpg)
But you know what’s great about this Parmesan orzo? Is how easy it is to make and how quick. Orzo takes only about 10 minutes to cook! And yes, orzo is a pasta, not rice as some may think. But this dish could be made with rice as well, it will just take a little bit longer to cook.
![Quick and delicious Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus that can be on your dinner table in only 30 minutes! Cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness! #parmesanorzo #chicken #30minutemeals Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus](https://cravinghomecooked.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/creamy-parmesan-orzo-with-chicken-and-asparagus-process-shots-2.jpg)
Orzo is perfect for when you want a quick dinner, or a quick side dish and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, because who does? As much as I love cooking, I still always look for quick and easy meals. Baking on the other hand, is a different story which I’ll leave for another time.
![Quick and delicious Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus that can be on your dinner table in only 30 minutes! Cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness! #parmesanorzo #chicken #30minutemeals Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus](https://cravinghomecooked.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/creamy-parmesan-orzo-wtih-chicken-and-asparagus-1-2.jpg)
Give this Parmesan Orzo with Chicken a try, you’ll love it!
![Quick and delicious Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus that can be on your dinner table in only 30 minutes! Cheesy, creamy, delicious goodness! #parmesanorzo #chicken #30minutemeals Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus](https://cravinghomecooked.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/creamy-parmesan-orzo-wtih-chicken-and-asparagus-1.jpg)
More Delicious Recipes To Try
- Easy Alfredo Pasta
- Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Asian Style Pepper Steak
- No Knead 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
- Sheet Pan Sausage And Veggies
- Pesto Chicken And Veggies
- Skillet Pizza Pesto Orzo
![Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus](https://cravinghomecooked.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/creamy-parmesan-orzo-wtih-chicken-and-asparagus-1-4-650x650.jpg)
Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless (about 3)
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup asparagus chopped
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups orzo uncooked
- 2 cups half and half
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium, or water
- 1½ cups Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika on both sides.
- In a large skillet heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Depending on the thickness of your chicken you might need longer time. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate; set aside.
- In the same skillet add the asparagus and saute for about 3 minutes, just until it starts to soften and starts to brown a bit. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
- In the same skillet add the onion and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent and the garlic becomes aromatic. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Add the orzo to the skillet and saute for just one minute, to get it a little toasted, this will give it a nutty flavor. Add the half and half, chicken broth and stir.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a medium-low, cover with lid and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.
- Add the asparagus back and stir it in. Slice the chicken into thin slices. You can either add it to the skillet and stir it in, or as seen in the photos, arrange over the orzo.
- Garnish with more Parmesan cheese if preferred, and parsley. Serve warm.
Tips & Notes:
- Half and half is equal parts whole milk and light cream and it usually averages 10 to 12% fat, which is usually less than light cream.
- This dish is quite versatile. Add more nutrition to it by adding in more veggies such as spinach, broccoli, mushrooms or peas.
So instead of orzo I used white rice. & I used half heavy cream& 2% milk. Talk about a fabulous dinner! My family is full and the littles are in bed on time. Amen to Good quick dinners! But what did you all serve with as far as additional sides. I made garlic bread.
The recipe was easy and on point with timeing.it was tasty but I didn’t use half and half,I only had almond milk,so no substitute for the creamy part.it was still good.i will try again with the half and half
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Let us know how it turns out next time when adding the half and half.
So easy and tasty! I added cherry tomatoes for a bit of colour and different texture. Delicious and went down well with my family. I will definitely be making it again!
That’s great, we’re so glad you enjoyed it!
We LOVE this! Can I make ahead for a dinner party the same day?
Hi Ruthie!
You can definitely make this ahead of time. Just make sure you store the orzo and chicken separate and heat them up prior to serving. Let us know how it all turns out!
I made small additions like sweet peppers and a dash of hot spice. It was excellent
Love this recipe!! If I’m doubling the recipe for friends and family will it change the cook time?
It would in the sense that you might have to cook the chicken in batches, since not all breasts might fit in the skillet.
Just great.
Oh my wow! Yum! Love this recipe. Simple yet so so tasty. I didn’t have any asparagus so I threw in 1 ½ cups frozen peas after the liquid started to boil and it turned out great! Definitely will be adding this to my recipe book!
We are so glad you enjoyed it so much!!!
This meal was easy to make and absolutely delicious. I made my version spicy with cayenne and it will definitely be a family favorite now.
We are so glad you have enjoyed it!
Very yummy! Have never made anything like this before. I ended up having to use Arborio rice as a substitute for orzo but it just gave it a different texture.
My one regret is I made wayyy too much for just myself. Would this be good to freeze and thaw back out or am I better off sharing the leftovers with friends?
You can definitely freeze it, but the one thing to consider is that the orzo will lose its texture and consistency over time! You could also cut down the portions for next time. The recipe cards will have serving suggestions (ie. serves 4) so you can always check the cards to see how much the recipe will actually make! But I’m sure your friends would be extremely happy to get some of this 😉
I chopped the chicken and asparagus and added 1/4 cup more of broth. Delicious
It was very good. Added mushrooms. Next time I will make it with way more seasoning and a bit of lemon zest. I also cooked the chicken and asparagus in a separate pan to speed things up a bit.
We try new recipes all the time. It’s pretty tough to make our “keepers” list, but this recipe made it! We both LOVED it. The crunch of the asparagus helps add texture to what might be an all mushy dish otherwise. An easy 5 stars!
Delicious! I was concerned with the amount of liquid but it was perfect. Definitely would add broccoli and mushrooms next time as I plan on cooking this again
So glad you liked it!
This was so easy to make and so delicious! I also added mushrooms and the juice of one lemon. Thanks for the great recipe, can’t wait to make it again!