My Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe with chicken is a comforting, Earthy delicious one-pan meal. With tender, juicy chicken and mushrooms and orzo pasta seasoned with fresh herbs and white wine, this is one dinner recipe that works in any cozy season.
Fall seems to have finally taken hold here and with the cooler temperatures and a little more rain, we always are inundated with mushrooms growing throughout the property. While these are not mushrooms that we can necessarily eat, it always inspires me to create dishes that are more Earthy and use mushrooms in abundance. This last week I made this Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe with chicken as one of my mushroom influenced meals and it was the perfect, comforting and cozy meal for a cool fall day. This is a one pan meal that will carry us through for the winter too as the bright vegetables of the summer fade.
The mushrooms to use
When making my Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe with chicken I like to use a blend of mushrooms. I always include a cup of baby bellas because they are easy to find. However, the recipe calls for 2 cups (and honestly if you love them you can include a bit more). I always like to use oyster mushrooms and hen of the woods if I can find them. They have much better flavor than the common baby bellas and will elevate this dish. Here is a list of options to look for in your grocery store:
- Oyster mushrooms (Wild)
- Baby Bella Mushrooms (Not wild)
- Hen of the woods (Wild)
- Velvet Pioppini (Wild)
- Trumpet Royal Mushrooms (Wild but mostly cultivated int he U.S.)
- Alba Clamshell (Wild but mostly cultivated)
- Maitake Frondosa (Wild)
If you really want to make the dish more sophisticated, you can also see if your store has Morel mushrooms that can be chopped and added or add in some slices of truffle mushrooms. Both of these will be pricer options and probably only available at higher end grocery stores.
The chicken to use
For my chicken I used bone-in chicken thighs. However, you can use boneless chicken thighs as well. I recommend using thighs because they are more moist than breasts have more flavor naturally. However, if you want to use chicken breasts, you can. Just make sure to tenderize them before cooking them so you can make sure they are cooking evenly. You do not want to have any pieces that are overly thick or they will not cook well in the recipe. They should really be no more than an inch and a half thick.
Three parts to the recipe
My Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe with chicken is really made in three parts and is a true one-pan meal. First, the seasoned chicken is cooked in the pan with extra virgin olive oil. Once both sides have been decently seared, the chicken is removed. Next, the orzo base is created with shallots, garlic, the mushrooms, butter, white wine and chicken broth. The orzo gets simmered in all of this and then heavy cream, fresh herbs, parmesan and spinach is added. This part of the recipe is a little more hands on but it is worth it. Last, the chicken is added back to the pan and then the whole thing is baked to finish off cooking the chicken and the orzo. This also allows the chicken to continue to flavor the pasta and the white whine, cream and chicken stock to help keep the chicken moist.
Looking for more one pan dinner ideas?
If you would like other simple, classic and fresh dinner ideas to make in one pan like my Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe with chicken, try these.
- French Onion Chicken {HERE}
- Cider Maple Oven Roasted Cornish Hens {HERE}
- Classic Steak Au Poivre {HERE}
- Creamy Italian Sausage Sun Dried Tomato Pasta {HERE}
- Bacon Wrapped Gouda and Apple Stuffed Chicken {HERE}
- Salmon with Goat Cheese and Herbs {HERE}
- Italian Stuffed Flank Steak {HERE}
Looking for a side dish?
If you would like an additional side dish to go with my Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe, try these.
- White Wine French Braised Leeks {HERE}
- Heirloom Tomato and Peach Salad {HERE}
- Classic French Bistro Salad {HERE}
- Buttered Roasted Radishes {HERE}
- Roasted White Wine Balsamic Mushrooms {HERE}
- Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan {HERE}
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Thank you so much for visiting today, friends. I hope you love my Parmesan Mushroom Orzo recipe with chicken. You can find a full, printable recipe below with all the ingredients and steps. Happy eating.
Parmesan Mushroom Orzo Recipe with Chicken
Equipment
- 17-inch, 3.5 quart braising pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for the chicken
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 5-6 chicken thighs, bone in or skinless with no bone You can also use chicken breasts but tenderize them prior to seasoning.
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients for the Parmesan Mushroom Orzo Recipe
- 1/2 cup diced shallots
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups mushrooms 1 cup of baby bellas and 1 cup of your favorite
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped, fresh oregano leaves
- 2-3 cups spinach, packed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep your chicken by patting it dry (rinse it first if you like) and then seasoning both sides with the paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic salt, sea salt and pepper.
- Over medium to high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil to a 17 inch 3.5 quart pan. When it is shimmering, place the chicken in the pan (If you are using chicken with skin, place the skin side down first) and cook it for 3 minutes. Then flip the chicken and cook it for another 2 minutes. Remove it from the pan and set is aside when the time is up.
- Next turn the heat to low-medium and add the shallots to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes until they are translucent, stirring constantly. If you feel the pan is a little too dry you can add another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Then add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the butter and mix everything until it melts. Add in the orzo and continue to sauté everything for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms are lightly caramelized.
- Next deglaze the pan with the white wine by pouring it into the pan and then scrapping the bottom while you work. Cook for 2 minutes and then add in the chicken stock. Simmer this for 5 minutes.
- Add in the heavy cream, parmesan, Dijon mustard, sea salt and pepper. Lightly mix until everything is well incorporated and the parmesan has melted. Finally add the fresh thyme, fresh oregano and spinach. Stir it in until the spinach starts to become limp.
- Place the chicken back and any plate juices back in the pan. Spoon the sauce over it. Then place the pan, uncovered, in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes for bone in thighs. ***Tenderized chicken breasts should only need 15 minutes to be fully cooked but make sure the orzo is done. If the chicken is done and the orzo is not, remove the chicken and place the orzo back in the oven.
- When the time is up, remove the Parmesan Mushroom Orzo from the oven and serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese, fresh thyme and sea salt and pepper to taste.
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