Description
Tuscan Chicken Meatballs and Orzo is a creamy, one-skillet comfort meal made with juicy chicken meatballs simmered in parmesan orzo with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. This easy weeknight dinner is rich, cozy, and ready in about 40 minutes—perfect for busy families who want big flavor without complicated steps.
Ingredients
Chicken Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil (for cooking)
Creamy Tuscan Orzo
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ cups dry orzo pasta
- ⅔ cup cream (18–35% fat)
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, milk, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic, onion powder, and pepper. Mix until just combined—do not overmix. Let sit for 10–20 minutes to allow breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
Roll mixture into 1 to 1¼-inch meatballs.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and sear meatballs on all sides until golden brown. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
In the same skillet, add sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, salt, oregano, black pepper, and red chili flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a low boil.
Stir in orzo, cream, and Parmesan cheese. Return meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the orzo. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until orzo is tender and meatballs are fully cooked.
Stir in chopped spinach until wilted. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm with extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- If sauce looks thin at first, allow it to sit for a few minutes— orzo thickens quickly.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Ground turkey can be substituted for chicken.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg