Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Orzo (Printable)
One-pot creamy chicken orzo with tender veggies and a rich, savory sauce inspired by classic pot pie flavors.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup carrots, diced
03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 1 cup celery, diced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Base and Pasta
07 - 1½ cups orzo pasta
08 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
→ Seasonings
13 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
14 - ½ teaspoon dried parsley, plus extra for garnish
15 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
16 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Melt butter in a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
04 - Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then add the milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
05 - Add the orzo, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the orzo is al dente and the sauce has thickened.
06 - Stir in the heavy cream, cooked chicken, and frozen peas. Simmer for 3–5 more minutes until the chicken is heated through and the peas are tender. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Remove from heat and let sit for 2–3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken further. Garnish with extra parsley and serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means you get all the comfort of pot pie with exactly zero pie crust anxiety.
- The sauce thickens itself around the orzo as it cooks, so there is no separate roux step or messy whisking marathon.
02 -
- Stir the orzo frequently while it simmers because it loves to stick to the bottom of the pot when you look away for even a moment.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat, so if it looks a little soupy at first, trust the process and give it a few minutes.
03 -
- Shred your rotisserie chicken while it is still warm because cold chicken fights back and takes twice as long to pull apart.
- Reserve a quarter cup of pasta water before adding the cream, and use it to adjust the consistency if the dish gets too thick on reheating.