One-Pan Creamy Chicken Lasagna Orzo (Printable)

Creamy orzo with chicken, tomatoes, and three cheeses in one skillet.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves

→ Pantry & Grains

07 - 1 1/4 cups orzo pasta
08 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
09 - 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Dairy

11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, for dolloping

→ Seasonings

15 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
16 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
17 - Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
18 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
02 - Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and cook until softened, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add orzo and tomato paste, stirring to coat the grains thoroughly. Pour in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Season with Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
04 - Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo reaches al dente texture and most liquid is absorbed.
05 - Stir in shredded chicken, spinach, and heavy cream. Cook for 2 minutes until spinach wilts and chicken is heated through.
06 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the skillet. Gently fold to combine, allowing cheeses to melt and sauce to thicken.
07 - Remove from heat. Dollop ricotta over the top and garnish with fresh basil. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It delivers the soul-warming flavors of lasagna in thirty minutes with virtually no cleanup, which means more time actually enjoying dinner instead of standing over a sink.
  • The creamy ricotta dollops and melted mozzarella create that indulgent richness you crave, but the orzo keeps everything light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
  • One skillet means one dish to wash, and that alone is worth celebrating on a weeknight when your energy is already stretched thin.
02 -
  • Don't walk away while the orzo cooks, because pasta can go from perfectly al dente to mushy in about two minutes once it starts absorbing liquid, and there's no fixing it after that happens.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after the orzo finishes cooking, it will still thicken as it cools slightly and the cheeses melt in, so resist the urge to cook it longer.
  • Taste the dish before adding the ricotta and basil, because that's your last chance to adjust the seasoning without disturbing the final presentation.
03 -
  • If you have the luxury of time, cook your chicken breast in salted broth instead of using store-bought rotisserie chicken, and then use that same broth for the dish—the flavor continuity will blow you away.
  • The key to creamy without being heavy is to fold in the cream right before the cheeses, so it doesn't break down from prolonged heat, and to let the residual heat of the pasta melt the cheese rather than keeping everything on the burner.
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