Creamy Chicken Pot Pie (Printable)
Tender chicken and veggies in creamy orzo pasta, a comforting one-pot meal ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, diced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Grains & Pasta
06 - 1 1/4 cups orzo pasta
→ Dairy
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
10 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Pantry
11 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - 1 tsp garlic powder
14 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried parsley
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season diced chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
03 - Sprinkle flour over the sautéed vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to form a light roux, cooking off the raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in orzo pasta, garlic powder, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the orzo reaches al dente texture, approximately 10 minutes.
06 - Return the seared chicken to the pot along with the frozen peas. Simmer together for 3 additional minutes until the peas are tender and the chicken is heated through.
07 - Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, mixing until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls while hot. Garnish with extra parsley or Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means you get all the comfort of chicken pot pie with almost zero cleanup.
- The orzo soaks up the broth and turns incredibly creamy without needing a separate sauce.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, making it ideal for leftovers or meal prep.
02 -
- Stir the orzo frequently near the end of cooking because it loves to stick to the bottom of the pot when you are not looking.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat, so pull it from the stove when it looks slightly thinner than you want.
03 -
- Toasting the orzo in the pot for thirty seconds before adding broth adds a subtle nutty depth that most people will not be able to pinpoint but will absolutely notice.
- Grate your own Parmesan from a block instead of using the pre shredded kind, because the anti caking agents in bagged cheese make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.