Creamy Orzo with Chicken and Kale (One Pan!)
This is the ultimate one pan dinner. Think creamy orzo with chicken thighs and sautéed kale in a hearty parmesan sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 445kcal
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs diced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups kale removed from stems
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the chicken, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 5–6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. To the garlic and onion, cook down the kale until dark green and softened, then add back in the sautéed chicken.
- Pour in the orzo, chicken broth, milk, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a medium heat. Cover, then let cook for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Once the orzo is cooked, add in the parmesan cheese and stir to fully incorporate, then serve.
Notes
Be sure to keep the flame at a steady medium heat for the duration of the cooking time. The orzo needs around 20ish minutes to absorb almost all of the liquid so that it cooks well.
Taking the kale off of the stem may take some time, so allot enough time to do so and prep ahead. You can also buy pre-shredded and de-stemmed kale so it saves you time.
Add a little extra olive oil when sautéing the shallots and garlic so that it does not run the risk of burning. Similarly, add an additional tablespoon of olive or avocado oil when you add in the kale, the more oil, the more the kale will cook down and become less bitter.
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 1224mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1294IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 2mg
