Description
A comforting one-pan meal featuring creamy orzo cooked with chicken sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 oz chicken sausage, sliced
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or feta)
- 1 cup spinach or kale
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Extra grated cheese
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced chicken sausage and sauté until golden-brown. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in orzo and toast for about 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer until orzo is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Lower heat and mix in cream (or yogurt), cheese, cooked sausage, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
- Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley, extra cheese, and lemon zest before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream and adjust the cheese accordingly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: one-pan meal, creamy orzo, chicken sausage, weeknight dinner, easy recipe