Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Creamy Tuscan chicken meatballs with orzo is a one pan dinner that’s certain to get rave reviews! Tender meatballs simmer with orzo in a garlicky, creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.
How long it takes: 50 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large deep skillet with lid, mixing bowl
Servings: 4
If You Love Marry Me Chicken, Meet Your Next Recipe
If you love marry me chicken (and what’s not to love?), you’re going to love this one pan dinner.
The creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is the same kind of thing that made marry me chicken go viral, but this version feels fresh and new.
Tender meatballs, orzo that soaks up the sauce as it cooks, and everything done in one skillet.
One pan. One very good dinner.
What makes it special:
- One pan meal: If you’re a regular reader, you know that one pan dinners are my absolute favorite. This is how I cook for my family and I know so many of you do too. You’ll appreciate that the sauce, orzo, and meatballs all cook in one skillet, making clean-up just that much easier!
- Comfort food that feels a little fancy: This dish has everything I look for in a comfort food meal (pasta, meat, creamy sauce) but with a Tuscan-inspired twist.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll find the full ingredient list in the recipe card, but here’s what you’ll need and why it works.
- Meatballs: For these homemade meatballs, you’ll need ground chicken, Parmesan cheese for flavor, panko and egg for binding, then garlic, fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper for seasoning. The meatballs are browned in olive oil.
- Garlic and sun-dried tomatoes: Fresh garlic adds big flavor to the sauce, and the sun-dried tomatoes cut through some of the richness and add a nice texture.
- Italian seasoning: This pantry seasoning is a streamlined way to layer in herbaceous flavor.
- Orzo: A small rice-sized pasta, orzo cooks quickly and is a great choice for one pan pasta recipes like this one. It cooks right in the sauce so you won’t need to boil water.
- Chicken broth: Using broth as the cooking liquid for the pasta infuses it with more flavor than water would.
- Heavy cream: I tested this recipe with a full cup of cream, but I found that you can get away with using less if you add it at the very end.
- Spinach: I add the spinach at the very end of the cooking time. It wilts quickly and retains its dark green color. Spinach adds a little extra nutrition, too.
- Parmesan cheese: In addition to adding flavor, the grated cheese thickens the sauce too. I use shelf-stable grated Parmesan; it’s easy and less expensive.
How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
Make the meatballs. Mix the ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. I recommend using your hands; it’s really the best way to get everything mixed evenly. Form the mixture into small meatballs.
Pro Tip
Make the meatballs the same size. If some meatballs are large and some are small, they won’t cook evenly. I like to use a #40 scoop which is about 1 ½ tablespoons. You should end up with about 20 small meatballs.
Brown the meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs (in batches if needed) and cook, turning occasionally, until they’re browned on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
Deep Skillet with Cover
You’ll find many one pot pasta recipes on my site, and a large straight-sided skillet with a cover is essential. I like a nonstick surface so cleanup is easy. I’ve had this skillet for several years and use it at least once a week.
Build the base. In the same skillet, add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook briefly, just until fragrant. Stir in the Italian seasoning, then add the orzo and chicken broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all that flavor into the sauce.
Simmer everything together. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Return the meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the orzo. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the orzo is tender and the meatballs are cooked through (165°F internally).
Finish the sauce. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. The spinach will quickly wilt, and the sauce will be creamy and rich as the cheese melts.
Serve. Let the dish rest for a few minutes, then sprinkle with fresh herbs and extra Parmesan if you like. Serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad. Serve creamy Tuscan chicken meatballs and orzo with a light house salad.
- Bread. Try this garlic bread Texas toast, or chive bread for something a little different.
- Vegetables. Sautéed zucchini, air fryer eggplant, and roasted asparagus would all pair well with the flavors in this dish.
Refrigerate: Store leftover creamy Tuscan chicken meatballs with orzo in a covered container for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as sauces made with heavy cream tend not to freeze well.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce if needed.
More One Pan Recipes
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
Ingredients
For Meatballs:
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For Sauce & Orzo:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, (minced)
- ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ cups uncooked orzo
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups firmly packed baby spinach (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- fresh basil or parsley (for optional garnish)
Instructions
- Measure out ½ cup heavy cream. Set aside to allow it to warm up slightly.
- In a large bowl, lightly beat egg until blended. Add ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, minced garlic, salt, and pepper; mix until just combined. Roll into about 20 small meatballs, about 1 ½ tablespoons each (I use a #40 scoop).1 large egg, 1 pound ground chicken, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 cloves garlic, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large deep nonstick skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add the meatballs, in batches if needed, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total (they won’t be fully cooked). Transfer the meatballs to a plate.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the same skillet and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the Italian seasoning, orzo, and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.3 cloves garlic,, ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 ½ cups uncooked orzo, 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then nestle the meatballs into the orzo mixture. Cover the pan, and cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the orzo is tender and the meatballs are cooked through (165°F in the center).
- Remove the lid and add the spinach, cream, and grated Parmesan, stirring until the spinach wilts, 1 to 2 minutes.½ cup heavy cream, 2 cups firmly packed baby spinach, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Sprinkle with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired, before serving.
Notes
- Cooking tip: If the orzo seems to be sticking to the bottom of the skillet before it’s al dente, lower the heat, and/or add a splash of broth or water.
- Storage & reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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