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One Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Orzo taken with iphone 15 pro max --iw 2 --ar 4:5 --v 6.0 --raw

Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo is a cozy, comforting one-pan meal that's perfect for busy weeknights. Packed with spicy, smoky Cajun seasoning, this dinner achieves big flavor with minimal effort. It's filled with plenty of protein, carbs and healthy fats for a well-rounded dish that makes for some epic leftovers.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 519 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Knife sharp
  • 1 Large pan or pressure cooker insert
  • 1 Tongs for flipping chicken
  • 1 Spatula for stirring

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning plus extra for orzo
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
  • 0.5 jumbo yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional
  • 1 cup dry orzo
  • 2 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth for richer broth depth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream *
  • 2 oz fresh spinach
  • 0.5 lemon juice from

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Pat chicken thighs dry and then season both sides with Cajun seasoning, salt & pepper. Bring a large pan to medium high heat. Once hot, add olive oil. Then, add seasoned chicken. Sear for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
  • Reduce heat to medium. If there is plenty of excess oil remaining in the pan, just use that. If not, add a bit more olive oil. Then, add onion, bell pepper, salt & pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and garlic, stir, and let cook for 2 more minutes. Then add Cajun seasoning and stir to combine.
  • Next, add orzo. Let it toast, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Then, deglaze the pan with chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
  • Nestle the chicken in the orzo, making sure it's mostly submerged. If not, add a bit more broth. Then, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is done through and the orzo is tender. I like to flip my chicken halfway through.
  • Turn off the heat. Temporarily remove the chicken from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt, pepper & Cajun seasoning as needed.
  • Once the spinach has wilted slightly, add back in the chicken, top with parsley if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

To make this dairy-free, simply swap out the heavy cream for a plant-based alternative such as Country Crock Plant Cream or full-fat canned coconut milk.