This one pot garlic butter chicken orzo is a super simple weeknight meal that is ridiculously delicious. Golden chicken thighs, buttery orzo, all cooked together until tender and juicy. Top with fresh herbs and enjoy a delightful meal!

Throw everything into one pot tonight for dinner! 

one pot garlic butter chicken orzo

This is the chicken dinner that you need right now. Easy to throw together, all made in one pot, tastes buttery and heavenly and so flavorful. It’s a hit all around. Juicy chicken thighs cooked with tender toasted orzo is the comfort food that hits the spot. 

If you haven’t noticed, we adore orzo in this house. We make a lot of it! My parmesan orzo is a highly requested side dish but if I have an option to make the entire dish together in one pot… I’m game. 

one pot garlic butter chicken orzo

And this is a GOOD one pot recipe. We’re not throwing raw vegetables in there or anything and just hoping they turn out. We’re searing the chicken until golden and delicious, toasting the orzo with all the flavor bits, then adding stock and cooking it all until tender and juicy and ridiculously flavorful.

I.love.it. 

searing chicken thighs

My garlic butter shrimp and orzo is hugely popular. After making it over and over again, I figured that we’d try it with chicken one night. We LOVED it. We prefer chicken thighs for this because they are so juicy and cook quickly. The method is almost foolproof. But you can try with small pieces of chicken breast and judge the doneness by taking the internal temperature. It’s super simple. This is the meat thermometer I have and it’s the best.

The best part about orzo is that it’s nearly as versatile as rice. It can be made into a baked pasta, served as a side dish, made into a cold pasta salad – the options are endless. It does all the things and is one of my kitchen all-stars for sure. 

chicken thighs and orzo

This is how I do it! The garlic butter chicken and orzo is actually quite easy and doesn’t require a ton of ingredients. I do like to serve some sort of roasted vegetable on the side. I’m sure it will come as no surprise that I do my parmesan roasted broccoli more often than not. Shocking, I know. 

one pot garlic butter chicken orzo

To start, I season the heck out of the chicken – salt and pepper all over. Then I brown it in a cast iron or ceramic pan until very golden. After it’s seared on both sides, I transfer it to a plate. 

There is usually a good amount of butter (and now chicken flavor bits) left in the skillet, so I stir the orzo right into it. YES! Pour the uncooked, dry orzo into the pan. Stir in the garlic too. I toast this and toss it for a few minutes until it gets golden and very fragrant. Then I add in the stock!

Once the stock is in the pan, I nestle the chicken back in with the orzo. I bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer then cover and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Just until the orzo has absorbed all the liquid and the chicken is cooked through.

Finally, I toss the mixture with a bit more melted butter and sprinkle on some fresh parsley. Parmesan too, of course.

one pot garlic butter chicken orzo

OH MY GOSH! Cue all the exclamation points.

This is easy, delicious, very tender and flavorful. 

Make it tonight!!

one pot garlic butter chicken orzo

One Pot Garlic Butter Chicken Orzo

One Pot Garlic Butter Chicken and Orzo

This one pot garlic butter chicken orzo is a super simple weeknight meal that is ridiculously delicious. Golden chicken thighs, buttery orzo, all cooked together until tender and juicy. Top with fresh herbs and enjoy a delightful meal!
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Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Heat the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron or ceramic skillet over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
  • Add the chicken to the skillet and cook on both sides until deeply golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Once both sides are done, transfer to a plate.
  • There should be a bit of butter or chicken grease left in the skillet. If not, add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Add the orzo and stir, so it’s all coated. Stir in the garlic. Cook, stirring often, so the orzo toasts and turns a bit golden. It will also be very fragrant.
  • Pour the stock in with the orzo. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan with the stock and orzo. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken reaches 165 degrees F internally. I suggest checking about 12 to 15 minutes and going from there - because this will differ based on how high your “simmer” is.
  • Drizzle with the extra melted butter. Top with chopped fresh parsley and parmesan. Serve immediately!
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one pot garlic butter chicken orzo

Look at that toasty goodness!