Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Orzo (Print View)
One-pot chicken and orzo loaded with vegetables in a rich, creamy savory sauce. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup carrots, diced
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup celery, diced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Base & Pasta
07 - 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
08 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
→ Seasonings
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, plus extra for garnish
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Melt the butter in a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.
04 - Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then pour in the whole milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
05 - Add the orzo pasta, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking, until the orzo is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream, cooked chicken, and frozen peas. Continue to simmer for 3–5 minutes until the chicken is heated through and the peas are tender. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Remove the pot from heat and let it sit for 2–3 minutes so the sauce can finish thickening. Garnish with additional parsley and serve warm.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pot which means you get all the pot pie flavor with exactly zero pie drama and almost no dishes.
- The orzo soaks up the savory sauce so every single bite is creamy and satisfying unlike traditional pot pie where the filling and crust feel like separate experiences.
02 -
- Stir the orzo frequently while it simmers because it loves to stick to the bottom of the pot and once it sticks it burns quickly.
- Add the cream and peas at the very end and never boil hard after that or the cream can separate and the peas turn mushy.
03 -
- Taste and adjust the salt at the very end because rotisserie chicken and broth vary wildly in sodium levels.
- Letting the pot rest off the heat for those extra two minutes is not optional because that is when the sauce reaches its perfect consistency.