One-Pan Alfredo Orzo with Chicken & Spinach

For the longest time, I honestly thought orzo was just a thicker, chewier version of rice. But fun fact, it’s actually pasta! Once I realized that, everything clicked. I always tossed it into rice dishes, but this time I wanted to try something different. So, I decided to fuse it with a classic pasta dish, fettuccine Alfredo, because at the end of the day, orzo is pasta, whether it looks like it or not. The creamy, garlicky, cheesy sauce clings to each piece in the best way, giving you all the cozy comfort of the original dish, just in a lighter, silkier form.

SERVES 4

CHICKEN

Moribyan's Kitchen: 100 Craveable Comfort Food Recipes: A Cookbook Hajar Larbah

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3 pieces)

ALFREDO ORZO

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1⅓ cups orzo

• 2¼ cups chicken broth

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 1½ cups fresh baby spinach

• 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

• Grated zest of 1 lemon

Cook the chicken: In a medium bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat evenly.

In a skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and fully cooked, 4 to 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the breast. Remove and set aside.

Make the Alfredo orzo: In the same pan, add the olive oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the orzo and toast until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth, season with the salt and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.

Uncover and stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and nutmeg until smooth. Add the spinach, mix again, and let it wilt, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slice the cooked chicken and serve it over the creamy orzo. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan, parsley, and lemon zest for a bright, fresh touch.

“Reprinted with permission from Moribyan's Kitchen: 100 Craveable Comfort Food Recipes. Copyright © 2026 by Hajar Larbah. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Eva Kolenko. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.”

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