What’s a good substitute for orzo?

Ditalini pasta, stellate pasta, alphabet pasta, small elbow macaroni or small broken up pieces of spaghetti or linguini are great substitutes for orzo.

Can I cook the orzo in the sauce?

You can make this a one pot meal and cook the orzo in the sauce if you prefer. After whisking in the flour, stir in the uncooked orzo until lightly toasted and browned to infuse it with nutty flavors. Add 2 to 2-½ cups of low sodium chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al-dente. You may need to add an extra splash of water if the pasta is not yet fully cooked and looks too dry. Once the orzo is tender, stir in the milk and seasonings.

Can I use heavy cream or half-and-half instead of milk?

Omit the flour. Instead, add the uncooked orzo and stir to combine and toast until light golden brown. Pour in 2 to 2-½ cups of low sodium chicken broth chicken into the pan. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al-dente. Stir in ½ to ¾ cup of heavy cream or half-and-half and the seasonings for the sauce. Proceed with the remaining steps as indicated.

Can I freeze creamy orzo with chicken?

This creamy chicken orzo dish freezes beautifully and is a great make ahead meal. After cooking, cool quickly and transfer to freezer-friendly airtight sealed containers. Hold off on adding the fresh basil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring once in between, until hot throughout. Garnish with chopped or torn basil then enjoy!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo

Name: Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16.9 ounces / 480 grams boneless, skinless Chicken Breast (or chicken thighs) – cut into bite-sized pieces; 1 TBSP Cajun Seasoning (store-bought or homemade – note 1); 1 TSP Kosher Salt (use a little less than half the amount specified if using iodized table salt – note 2); ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper; 1 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste; ½ TBSP Olive Oil, for cooking; ½ medium / 100 grams Yellow Onion – finely chopped; 1 medium / 200 grams Red Bell Pepper – thinly sliced; 6 cloves / 30 grams Garlic – minced; 10.6 ounces / 300 grams Orzo Pasta (use gluten-free orzo if needed or whole wheat orzo if preferred); 1 TBSP Olive Oil; 1 TBSP Unsalted Butter; 2 TBSP / 18 grams All-Purpose Flour; 2 cups / 480ml Whole Milk; 2 TSP Cajun Seasoning; 1.5 TSP Kosher Salt, to taste; ½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste; 1 TSP Smoked Paprika (I used a hot one, use sweet smoked paprika if preferred); ½ – 1 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste; ½ – 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste; ½ TSP Dried Oregano; ½ TSP Dried Thyme; ¾ cup / 50 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese); 2 cups / 66 grams Baby Spinach; To Serve: Chopped fresh Basil or Parsley, more grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (optional)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo features juicy Cajun chicken, colorful veggies, orzo and fresh basil in a spicy and garlicky lightened-up creamy Cajun sauce! Ready in just 30 minutes and perfect for any night of the week!

Author: Lavina
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Sauté
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Cajun Chicken:

16.9 ounces / 480 grams boneless, skinless Chicken Breast (or chicken thighs) – cut into bite-sized pieces
1 TBSP Cajun Seasoning (store-bought or homemade – note 1)
1 TSP Kosher Salt (use a little less than half the amount specified if using iodized table salt – note 2)
½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper
1 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste
½ TBSP Olive Oil, for cooking

Creamy Chicken Orzo:

½ medium / 100 grams Yellow Onion – finely chopped
1 medium / 200 grams Red Bell Pepper – thinly sliced
6 cloves / 30 grams Garlic – minced
10.6 ounces / 300 grams Orzo Pasta (use gluten-free orzo if needed or whole wheat orzo if preferred)
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP Unsalted Butter
2 TBSP / 18 grams All-Purpose Flour
2 cups / 480ml Whole Milk
2 TSP Cajun Seasoning
1.5 TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
½ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
1 TSP Smoked Paprika (I used a hot one, use sweet smoked paprika if preferred)
½ – 1 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste
½ – 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
½ TSP Dried Oregano
½ TSP Dried Thyme
¾ cup / 50 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan Cheese)
2 cups / 66 grams Baby Spinach
To Serve: Chopped fresh Basil or Parsley, more grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prep:

Season the chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to a medium bowl. Season with Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper and ground cayenne. Mix to coat, set aside.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients: Chop the yellow onion, slice the red bell pepper, mince the garlic and slice the basil. Measure out the milk in a measuring cup and grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese using a box grater.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo:

Cook the orzo: Cook the orzo pasta pasta 2 minutes shy of the time specified on the package for al-dente pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. (Or use the same deep large skillet you’ll use to make the pasta dish). Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain into a fine mesh strainer and set aside. (Tip: Run cold water over the pasta to prevent it from sticking and cooking further.)
Cook the chicken: Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep edged skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and spread them out in the pan. Allow to sear for 1 minute, then flip the pieces and sear the other side for another minute or so. Sauté until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and unsalted butter in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and red bell pepper and sauté for a minute until slightly softened. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
Make the cream sauce: Add the all-purpose flour and whisk to combine for a minute to get rid of the floury taste. Reduce the heat to low and gradually pour in the milk while continuing to whisk.
Stir in the seasonings: Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, ground cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, dried thyme, kosher salt and black pepper.
Add the cheese: Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese until melted and the sauce starts to thicken.
Mix in the baby spinach: Add the baby spinach and mix for 1-2 minutes until it wilts.
Add the pasta and chicken: Add the cooked orzo, 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water and Cajun chicken back into the pan. Mix until combined well and everything is evenly coated in the sauce. If the sauce thickens too much, add another tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water and mix until it coats the pasta evenly. Switch off the heat.
Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with fresh basil and more grated cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour

Buy Now →

Notes

Cajun Seasoning. Some store-bought Cajun seasoning blends come with salt added already and can be quite salty. You may need to use less or more salt depending on how salty yours is. If unsure, skip seasoning the cream sauce with salt and pepper until after you taste the dish at the end. You can always add more salt but can’t remove it!
Kosher Salt. I used a coarse kosher salt from Redmond Real Salt which is less salty than iodized table salt and sea salt. If using either table salt or sea salt, use a little less than the amount specified.
Storing and reheating leftovers. Store any leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. I recommend garnishing with basil after reheating. When added as a garnish/topping, fresh basil tends to blacken and become bitter if reheated in the microwave for too long.
To Freeze. This creamy chicken orzo dish freezes beautifully and is a great make ahead meal. After cooking, cool quickly and transfer to freezer-friendly airtight sealed containers. Hold off on adding the fresh basil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring once in between, until hot throughout. Garnish with chopped or torn basil then enjoy!
See the ‘Variations’ and ‘FAQs’ sections in the post above if you would like to customize this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo Pasta dish or tailor it for other dietary needs.