One Pot Chicken Parmesan Meatballs And Orzo.
Chicken parmesan meatballs and orzo is the perfect weeknight meal! Easy and delicious, a huge crowd pleaser and the ultimate cozy comfort food, it comes together super fast and tastes amazing. Cheesy, saucy and oh so satisfying!
Say hello to your new favorite dinner!
This one pot chicken parmesan meatballs and orzo dish is fantastic. It’s super satisfying and cozy, but quick and easy enough for a weeknight meal. That’s always what I’m looking for in this house!
Especially now that school is back in session. I’m all about the back-to-school meals and constantly looking for new ones that we will love. Even though I have more than enough meals in my back pocket, somehow my brain turns to mush when I meal plan in September. I always want the meals to be comforting and delicious to the kids – I want them to get so excited for dinner and feel cozy at all.
My one pot orzo dishes are the only ones that I really and truly LOVE. Orzo cooks so easily and nicely in a pan like this, without much fuss. I’d almost go as far to say that it’s foolproof!
Add in the meatballs and you’re set. Everything here in one dish that cooks up perfectly. Not dried out, not overly liquidy – just lovely!
Let’s chat about it!
First, the chicken meatballs. These come directly from my chicken parmesan meatballs and they are simple, classic and so easy. We have fresh herbs, some breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and not much else – there isn’t a ton of filler here. The result is a super tender, juicy meatball, especially when it finished cooking right in with the orzo.
The orzo base is mostly chicken stock, but I like to add in some marinara too. Now, it’s no secret that I don’t love marinara or tomato sauce. It’s never my go-to. But a little bit goes a long way here!
It almost creates a tomato broth situation for the orzo to soak up. And combined with the meatballs and cheese, it’s a must.
This is the level of marinara that I like in my dishes. Enough to make it feel like a tomato-based saucy dish. But not so much that I feel like I’m eating spoonfuls of sauce.
While this dish can be finished fully on the stovetop (which is amazing!), I do like to stick it under the broiler for a minute to get that bubbly cheese! That also gives it such a good chicken parm feel and I will never ever pass up golden melty cheese.
Ever!
I mean, just look at that perfect spoonful of comfort.
This has everything in a meal that I want. Tender meatballs, saucy pasta, bubbly mozzarella.
As expected, it reheats SO well – almost tasting better the next day.
It’s definitely a favorite of the kids now too!
One Pot Chicken Parm Meatballs & Orzo
One Pot Chicken Parm Meatballs and Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground chicken, I like to use 94% lean
- kosher salt and pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for topping
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, basil and chives
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound uncooked orzo
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
- fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper. Add 2 cloves of garlic, parmesan, breadcrumbs and herbs. Mix gently until just combined.
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. You want this pan to be large enough for the orzo and stock too. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip gently and brown the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Shake the pan, tossing the meatballs around to keep their shape. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
- To the same pan, add the butter. Add in the orzo and stir. Cook, stirring often, until the orzo toasts and turns a bit golden. Stir in the other 2 garlic cloves. It will be very fragrant.
- Pour the stock and 1 cup of the marinara in with the orzo. Nestle the meatballs 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. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon if necessary - it should not be hot enough to burn. I suggest checking after 12 to 15 minutes and going from there - because this will differ based on how high your “simmer” is!
- Once the liquid is absorbed, add the remaining marinara in dollops all over the top. Pull apart the mozzarella and place it on top too.
- Turn the broiler on in your oven. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the cheese has melted and is golden.
- Remove the pan and top with parmesan and fresh basil. Serve!
Did you make this recipe?
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Dream bowl.
