Chicken Pot Pie Orzo is all the flavor of chicken pot pie in one skillet: onion, carrots and celery softened in butter, a quick flour roux, then uncooked orzo simmered right in chicken broth until tender, finished with heavy cream, shredded cooked chicken and peas. There’s no crust to make and no pot of water to boil. It takes 40 minutes and serves 4.
How to make it: Soften the vegetables in butter, stir in the seasonings and flour, then add the orzo and slowly pour in the broth. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender. Stir in the cream and chicken until hot, add the peas, and garnish with parsley.
Why You’ll Love It
- One skillet: the orzo cooks right in the sauce.
- 40 minutes: much quicker than a baked pot pie.
- Uses cooked chicken: rotisserie or leftovers work.
- Creamy and spoonable: pot pie filling with pasta instead of crust.
Ingredient Notes
Vegetables: 1 small yellow onion diced small, 1 cup sliced baby carrots (or 2 large carrots, diced) and 4 celery stalks, diced, softened in 3 tablespoons unsalted butter.
Seasonings: 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons each fresh thyme and minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon each dried), 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, paprika, adobo seasoning and black pepper.
Flour: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce.
Orzo: 1 1/2 cups, uncooked. Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta.
Liquids: 3 cups chicken broth, plus a little extra, and 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half).
Chicken and peas: 2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken and 1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas, or a mix of peas, corn and green beans.
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley, plus grated Parmesan if you like.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 1 cup baby carrots, sliced (or 2 large carrots, peeled and diced)
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups orzo, uncooked
- 3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie chicken works)
- 1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas (or a mix of peas, corn and green beans)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (grated Parmesan is optional)
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie Orzo
1. Sauté the vegetables. In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the seasonings. Stir in the garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, paprika, adobo seasoning, chicken bouillon seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Make the roux. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated. Cook about 1 minute, so the raw flour taste cooks off.
4. Cook the orzo. Stir in the orzo, then slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick, add more broth.
5. Add the cream and chicken. Stir in the heavy cream and the shredded chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through and creamy and the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
6. Add the peas. Add the peas and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Serve. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm, with biscuits or a side salad.
How to Keep the Orzo Creamy, Not Mushy
The orzo cooks right in the chicken broth, so a little attention makes the difference:
- Cook the flour first. A minute in the butter cooks off the raw taste before any liquid goes in.
- Pour the broth slowly while you stir.
- Stir every few minutes. Orzo cooked in broth likes to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Stop at al dente. About 10 minutes is enough. It keeps softening once the cream goes in, and overcooked orzo turns mushy.
- Too thick? Add a splash more broth. For a richer finish, add an extra tablespoon or two of cream.
- Serve it right away. The orzo keeps soaking up the sauce as it sits.
Can You Cook Orzo in Chicken Broth Instead of Water?
Yes, and here there’s no water at all. The uncooked orzo simmers in the chicken broth with the vegetables and roux, soaking up the sauce as it cooks. Vegetable broth works too.
What’s the sauce made of? Butter, vegetables and a flour roux, loosened with chicken broth and finished with heavy cream: the same base as a pot pie filling.
Variations
- Lighter: use half and half instead of heavy cream.
- Turkey or ham: use leftover roast turkey or diced ham instead of chicken.
- Raw chicken: cut boneless skinless breasts or thighs into pieces and cook them in the skillet first, until they reach 165°F.
- More vegetables: a mix of peas, corn and green beans, or butternut squash or sweet potato in place of the carrots.
- Herbs: use sage or herbes de Provence instead of thyme.
- Other pasta: the liquid is set for orzo; if you swap in another small pasta, watch the liquid and the cooking time.
- Gluten-free or dairy-free: gluten-free orzo with a 1:1 gluten-free flour, or dairy-free half and half with plant-based butter.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Divide leftovers into shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Not recommended. Cooked orzo turns mushy once thawed, and cream sauces don’t freeze well.
Reheating: The orzo thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water. Reheat covered on the stove over low heat or in the microwave, stirring, until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with warm butter biscuits; bake them before you start the orzo so they’re ready together. For a side, try spinach salad with warm bacon dressing or roasted asparagus and carrots.
More pot pie flavors: chicken pot pie noodle skillet with egg noodles and slow cooker 5-ingredient chicken pot pie. For another creamy chicken dinner, make chicken and dumplings with biscuits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook orzo in chicken broth instead of water?
Yes. In this recipe the orzo cooks only in chicken broth, right in the skillet.
What is the sauce made of in chicken pot pie orzo?
Butter, a flour roux, chicken broth and heavy cream.
What are common problems with chicken pot pie orzo?
Mushy or sticking orzo and a sauce that’s too thick. Stop at al dente, stir often, and add broth as needed.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Any cooked, shredded or chopped chicken works; heat it through to 165°F.
Can I freeze it?
It’s not recommended; the orzo turns mushy after thawing.
Final Notes
Cook the roux, simmer the orzo in the broth and finish with cream, chicken and peas. If you try it with leftover turkey, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Chicken Pot Pie Orzo
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced small
- 1 cup baby carrots sliced; or 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary minced; or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups orzo uncooked
- 3 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped; rotisserie chicken works
- 1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas or a mix of peas, corn and green beans
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish; grated Parmesan is optional
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, paprika, adobo seasoning, chicken bouillon seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated. Cook about 1 minute, so the raw flour taste cooks off.
- Stir in the orzo, then slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick, add more broth.
- Stir in the heavy cream and the shredded chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through and creamy and the chicken reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Add the peas and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm, with biscuits or a side salad.
Notes
Nutrition
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