Marry Me chicken orzo bake is a creamy one-pot pasta dinner made with chicken thighs, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and orzo baked in a luscious sauce.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Pasta Recipes
This Marry Me chicken orzo bake has all the classic marry me chicken vibes — garlicky, creamy, herby, and just a little fancy thanks to sun-dried tomatoes.
The twist? Instead of serving it over plain pasta, it gets baked right into a saucy orzo casserole where the pasta soaks up all that flavor. I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs to keep things juicy and a touch lighter, plus a splash of light cream to make it luscious without feeling heavy.
The chicken gets seared, then everything simmers and bakes in one pan. It’s cozy, high-protein, and crazy satisfying. And yes, I tested this a few times — and every time it turned out like a hug in a bowl.
👩🍳 You might also like these: crock pot Marry Me chicken, chicken pasta recipes, lemon chicken orzo pasta, boursin orzo bake, lemon chicken orzo soup, chicken asparagus risotto, other chicken and rice recipes, and even more orzo recipes here.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this creamy chicken orzo bake recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
For the Chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs — juicy and flavorful, a bit lighter without the skin; chicken breast works too, but I find thighs more forgiving.
- Olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika — classic flavor trio to season the chicken and add warmth.
For the Sauce & Pasta:
- Onion + garlic — your flavor base, don’t skip them!
- Sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed) — salty, tangy, and slightly sweet. These are the flavor bombs.
- Dried Italian herbs + oregano — herby backbone. You can also use dried thyme if you don’t have mixed Italian herbs.
- Chicken stock — flavorful liquid that orzo soaks up like a sponge.
- Light cream — gives it that creamy, velvety sauce without the heaviness.
- Orzo (or risoni) — the tiny pasta that cooks like rice. Soaks up everything.
- Parmesan — salty, nutty, and so perfect melted into the sauce.
- Chili flakes (optional) — for a bit of warmth if you like a tiny kick.
To Finish:
- Fresh herbs (basil, chives, parsley) — freshness to balance all that creamy richness.
- Extra Parmesan — always.
How To Make Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make this one-pot baked chicken and orzo recipe.
- Dice the onions and garlic so these are ready to go. Strain sun-dried tomatoes (if they are packed in oil) and chop them into smaller pieces. Set aside while we move onto the chicken.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C fan).
- Season chicken thighs and pan-sear 2–3 minutes per side in a large oven-safe pan. I use cast iron low casserole pan.
- Remove chicken; sauté onions first and then add garlic in the same pan. Add a little extra oil if needed.
- Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and a pinch of chili flakes.
- Pour in chicken stock (reserving a bit), cream, and Parmesan. Simmer briefly.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning; it should be salty as orzo absorbs a lot of the flavor.
- Stir in orzo and nestle chicken back in.
- Cover and bake for 15–20 minutes until orzo is tender and chicken is fully cooked. I think I did mine for 18 minutes.
- Rest a few minutes, then sprinkle with herbs and more Parmesan. Dig in!
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Use an oven-safe deep pan or French (or Dutch) oven pot if you’ve got one — one less dish!
- Don’t worry if the sauce looks a bit runny at first — orzo thickens a lot as it sits. If however it looks like it’s soaked up a lot of the stock, add a few splashes at the end to thin it out.
- Want it spicier? Add more chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne.
- Chicken breast? Sure, just don’t overcook it. Bone-in thighs also work but will need more time.
- Want more veg? Stir in chopped spinach or baby kale before baking.
- Make-ahead tips: You can pre-sear the chicken and make the sauce a day ahead. Store separately or all together (without the orzo) in the fridge, then mix in orzo and bake when ready.
- Storage tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash or two of broth or cream to loosen the orzo. Freezing is okay, but orzo can get soft. I don’t recommend.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this with a bright, crunchy salad (lemon vinaigrette all the way – check out my asparagus salad) or simple steamed green beans, sauteed asparagus, or broccolini with garlic and lemon. It’s rich, so a little citrus on the side balances it beautifully.
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Video
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lbs / 1 kilogram)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped, 4 oz / 120–130 grams
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ cups orzo (risoni) 9 oz / 260 grams
- 3½ cups chicken stock reserve ½ cup
- ¾ cup light cream (e.g., half-and-half or light cooking cream) 5 fl oz / 150 ml
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 oz / 50–60 grams
- Pinch of chili flakes optional
- Extra salt to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C fan).
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken on both sides until golden (2–3 mins per side). Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium, add extra oil if needed, and sauté onions until soft (3–4 mins). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herbs, oregano, and chili flakes (if using).
- Add stock (3 cups), cream, Parmesan, and bring to a gentle simmer. Season to taste — it should be slightly salty.
- Add orzo and stir to combine. Nestle seared chicken on top.
- Cover and bake for 15–20 minutes until orzo is tender and chicken is cooked through. I did mine for 18 minutes.
- Optional step: splash extra stock around the edges if it looks dry near the end. Orzo tends to soak up more liquid around the edges of the pan as it’s hotter.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with herbs, more Parmesan, and a drizzle of cream if you’re feeling extra.
Notes
- Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs? Yes! Just don’t overcook it — thighs are more forgiving and juicier. Bone-in thighs also work but will need more time.
- What if I don’t have light cream? Use half-and-half or mix milk with a bit of heavy cream. Even evaporated milk works.
- Why is it still saucy out of the oven? That’s perfect! Orzo keeps absorbing liquid after baking. The extra sauce keeps things creamy.
- Can I make this dairy-free? You can try using coconut cream and skip the Parmesan, but the flavor will change quite a bit.
- Can I double the recipe? Yes, just use a larger baking dish or split between two. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Use an oven-safe deep pan or Dutch oven if you’ve got one — one less dish!
- Don’t worry if the sauce looks a bit runny at first — orzo thickens a lot as it sits. If however it looks like it’s soaked up a lot of the stock, add a few splashes at the end to thin it out.
- Want it spicier? Add more chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne.
- Want more veg? Stir in chopped spinach or baby kale before baking.
- Make-ahead tips: You can pre-sear the chicken and make the sauce a day ahead. Store separately or all together (without the orzo) in the fridge, then mix in orzo and bake when ready.
- Storage tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash or two of broth or cream to loosen the orzo. Freezing is okay, but orzo can get soft. I don’t recommend.
Nutrition
Irena, this one is a total keeper. The whole family loved it and leftovers were great, although you’re right, the orzo does absorb all the liquid so I had to add more stock when reheating to thin it out.
Thanks Kate. Yes, it definitely needs extra liquid when reheating but otherwise good as leftovers.
If we are eating low carb, is there an alternative to the orzo?
Yes, you could use cauliflower rice. I have a recipe for chicken and coconut cauliflower rice made in one pan: https://www.cookedandloved.com/recipes/coconut-chicken-cauliflower-rice/ You can follow a similar method but with the Marry Me chicken sauce. You basically throw in the cauliflower rice into the creamy broth and let it cook for a few minutes. The main difference is that cauliflower doesn’t need to cook for as long as orzo so you need to cook the chicken for longer, until it is pretty much cooked through. Then once you add the cauli rice into the sauce, top with chicken and either bake for 4-5 minutes or cook on the stovetop. Check out the
Hi, could we use quinoa instead of orzo?
Yes, you could! You would need a bit more quinoa than the orzo amounts as quinoa doesn’t expand quite as much. Cooking time should be as per the packets, maybe 15 minutes or so from memory. I would measure out enough quinoa so it looks like it’s double the liquid amount.