Description
This Monterey Chicken One Pan Orzo is a cheesy, smoky, and savory weeknight dinner that combines juicy chicken, creamy orzo pasta, and melted Monterey Jack cheese all in a single skillet. Perfect for busy families, meal prep, or when you want a one-dish dinner packed with flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups orzo pasta, uncooked
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Green onions or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season chicken with paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet and sear chicken until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Stir in orzo and toast for 2–3 minutes.
- Pour in chicken broth and milk. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Return chicken to the skillet, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until orzo is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in diced tomatoes and half the cheese. Top with remaining cheese and bacon.
- Cover until cheese melts, then garnish with green onions or parsley before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier version, substitute Monterey Jack with pepper jack cheese.
- Use rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken to save time.
- Make it vegetarian by swapping chicken for mushrooms or chickpeas.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of broth to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pan Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg