Inside: A creamy pasta dish starring orzo, chicken tenders, roasted red peppers and spinach, with a delicious sauce that will have you licking your bowl clean and coming back for seconds – trust me.
I went to take more pictures of the leftovers today (because I started cooking too late in the day and the lighting went to crap), and wouldn’t you know it? My husband had already finished it off!
He had this meal for dinner last night, plus breakfast AND lunch. It’s gotta be good when you reach for it three meals in a row, right?
I guess I’ll add more pictures the next time I make it.
This meal came about by accident, actually. I was trying to make another recipe that called for sun-dried tomatoes, but I accidentally bought a jar of roasted red peppers, instead.
Normally, that would derail dinner completely because I love following a new recipe exactly. But that night, for whatever reason, I decided to exercise my “flexibility muscles” a bit and said, “Roasted peppers? Sure, what the heck.”
And with a few more modifications, this dish was born.
Coincidentally, my husband said that if I had included sun-dried tomatoes, he would have hated it. So…a happy accident, I guess?
You Might Also Like: Easy Costco Chicken Sausage Stir Fry (Healthy 20 Minute Meal)
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Chicken Orzo
THIS POST PROBABLY CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. YOU CAN READ OUR FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE.
I’ve always been a huge fan of orzo dishes. And any time you combine chicken stock, garlic, and heavy cream together, I’m here for it.
I’m actually hoping my kids don’t learn to love it because then there would be less to go around!
This dish is relatively easy to make. Just keep an eye on the orzo towards the end to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
On to the ingredients…
Related: 27 Easy Recipes That Use Costco Rotisserie Chicken (Because $5 Is a Steal!)
Olive Oil & Butter
I’ve learned over the years that olive oil and butter is the perfect combination for cooking chunks of chicken tenders or chicken breasts.
Chicken Tenders (Cut & Seasoned with Salt & Pepper)
When I cook chicken, I cook almost exclusively with Costco chicken tenders now. About a decade ago, chicken breasts started to gross me out with all the added solution that I quit using them, and personally, I think chicken tenders taste so much better.
The only exception to this rule is when I cook dishes with thin-sliced chicken breasts.
Garlic
Because garlic is yummy. Duh. But I hate chopping garlic, so we always keep a jar of minced garlic the fridge.
Roasted Red Peppers
No need to chop them! You can add them as is to the pan (minus the liquid in the jar) and break them up with a spatula as they cook.
Seasonings
Italian seasoning, smoked paprika (I never use regular paprika anymore), kosher salt and black pepper are the perfect seasoning combination for this dish.
Orzo
This yummy pasta is so my favorite! You only need one cup for this recipe.
Chicken Stock
I think I’ve mentioned before that whenever possible, I get chicken stock, instead of chicken broth. It seems to add a richer flavor to our dishes.
But you could definitely substitute chicken broth, if that’s what you have on hand.
Spinach
Anytime I can add spinach to a dish, I do it. You can barely taste it, since it takes on the flavors around it.
Nutrition without tasting bad? Yes, please!
Heavy Cream
Also a must – quart size from Costco. Costco, we love you.
Parmesan (Freshly Grated)
We always have parmesan wedges in our fridge. We use them almost every single day. Freshly grated for the win!
Side Note: my non-minimalist husband got one of those spinning cheese graters that they use at Olive Garden because then maybe the kids could grate their own parmesan. Does anyone use it? Nope. Will I ever be able to get rid of it? Probably also, nope. Am I still grating parmesan for the kids? Yep.
You Might Also Like: Easy Cheesy Jalapeño Sausage Skillet (One Pot Meal)
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Orzo
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's Knife or Kitchen Scissors
- 1 12 Inch Skillet
- 1 Spatula or Other Cooking Utensil
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Chicken Tenders, Cut into Cubes
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 tsp Minced Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 12 oz. jar Roasted Red Peppers, Drained
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 cup Orzo
- 2.5 cups Chicken Stock
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 5 oz bag Baby Spinach
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, Freshly Grated
Instructions
- Cut chicken tenders into cubes with chef's knife or kitchen scissors. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat large skillet to medium high heat. Add olive oil (1 tbsp) and butter (1 tbsp). When butter is melted, add chicken to hot skillet. Let cook 2-3 minutes per side.
- Reduce heat to medium. Then, add garlic (2 tsp), all roasted red peppers (minus the liquid in the jar), orzo (1 cup), Italian seasoning (2 tsp), smoked paprika (2 tsp), kosher salt (1/2 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp) to the pan. Combine, then cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add chicken stock (2.5 cups) to the pan and bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat to low (liquid in the pan should be simmering). Cover and cook for 14-15 minutes or until orzo is cooked through.
- Add spinach and heavy cream to the pan. Once spinach is wilted, turn off the heat and add the grated parmesan. Stir in parmesan to melt and serve.
Notes
