Description
A comforting and flavorful Tuscan Chicken Meatball Orzo dish that combines juicy chicken meatballs with creamy orzo pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach in a delicious sauce. This one-pan meal is easy to make and perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Orzo Dish:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (for sauce)
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for sauce)
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Form into 1-inch meatballs.
- Brown the Meatballs: Brown the meatballs in olive oil in a skillet until golden on all sides, then set aside.
- Cook the Orzo Dish: In the same skillet, sauté onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. Add orzo, chicken broth, and simmer. Return meatballs to the skillet, cover, and cook until orzo is tender.
- Finish the Dish: Stir in spinach, cream, and Parmesan. Adjust seasoning, garnish with herbs, and serve.
Notes
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- You can also swap spinach for kale or arugula.
- This dish reheats well and makes great leftovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
