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Cajun Chicken Orzo

Cajun Chicken Orzo

This Cajun Chicken Orzo is a quick one pot meal combining bold Cajun and Italian flavors, perfect for any weeknight dinner.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 640 kcal

Equipment

  • pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 0.5 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 0.25 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 0.5 tablespoon Cajun seasoning see note
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 2 cups cooked shredded/rotisserie chicken
  • 0.5 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Add the oil, butter, and onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, and orzo to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
  • Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and cream. Once it starts to bubble, continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. You will probably need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). It should gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked.
  • Stir in the chicken and parmesan.
  • Take the pot off the heat, and cover it for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking.

Notes

Many Cajun seasonings are quite salty and replace salt & pepper in recipes such as this one. Be sure to give it a taste before adding extra salt. If the pasta is soaking up the liquid too fast, turn the heat down and/or add a splash more broth or cream. If there's too much liquid, cover the pot for longer than suggested in the recipe and the orzo will absorb it quickly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 640kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 32gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 379mgPotassium: 713mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1678IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 3mg
Keyword 30-Minute Meals, Cajun chicken orzo, Comfort Food, creamy sauce, Easy Recipes, One-Pot Meal
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