Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

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.

Creamy cajun chicken orzo on white plate with black fork

I’m in my one-pan meal era. I mean, who doesn’t love a delicious, balanced & flavorful dinner without having to do a lot of dishes after!?

So, if you’re bored of your usual weeknight dinners and are looking for a new way to cook chicken, you’re going to love this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo recipe. It strikes the perfect balance of spicy yet creamy, and comforting yet nourishing.

The method and ingredients are incredibly simple but you’ll be left with a meal that feels chef-level fancy. It also stores really well so you can enjoy leftovers throughout the week, or even meal prep this for your work lunches!

Why You’ll Love this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo

It’s a simple, one pan meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
This recipe is loaded with smoky, spicy cajun flavor.
There’s plenty of protein, carbs and healthy fats.
It can easily be made dairy free with one swap!
It’s cozy and comforting while still packing in nutrients.

Creamy cajun chicken orzo on white plate with black fork and skillet in background

What You Need to Make this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo

For the Chicken:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: These chicken thighs are so juicy and tender! You could probably substitute chicken breast, just make sure to beat it down or butterfly it until about 1/2-3/4 inch thick.
Cajun Seasoning, Salt & Pepper: I used a store-bought cajun seasoning, but you could also try using a homemade one. It packs a bunch of smoky, spicy flavor!
Olive Oil: Just a bit of olive or avocado oil for searing the chicken.

For the Orzo:

Yellow Onion: About 1/2 jumbo onion, or 1 cup diced.
Green Bell Pepper: Cajun food often includes an aromatic trinity of onion, bell pepper & celery. We’re skipping the celery here but bell pepper is great way to add more veggies into this dish!
Garlic: Fresh minced is best.
Tomato Paste: I know it’s annoying to open a whole can of tomato paste and only use 1 tbsp of it, so you can omit it if you want. It won’t make or break the recipe.
Cajun Seasoning, Salt & Pepper: Simple seasonings but they go a long way!
Orzo: This small, rice-shaped pasta is one of my favorites, and makes up the bulk of this recipe. There are gluten free orzo brands out there, such as Jovial, that should work in this recipe but cook time may need to be adjusted.
Chicken Broth: Simmering the orzo in chicken broth provides extra flavor. Feel free to sub in chicken bone broth for extra protein and nutrients.
Heavy Cream: Finish it off with heavy cream to tone down the spice and add some richness. To make this dairy-free, just use a plant-based alternative such as Country Crock Plant Cream or full-fat canned coconut milk.
Spinach: I like to wilt in several handfuls of spinach at the end to make this a more well-rounded meal. Kale would be good in here as well.
Lemon Juice: A touch of acidity to balance it all out. Fresh squeezed is always best!

Ingredients for creamy cajun chicken orzo

How To Make this Creamy Cajun Orzo:

Season & Sear Chicken:

First, pat your 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. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this point, as it will continue cooking when it simmers with the orzo. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

Sauté the Aromatics:

Next, reduce the 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, or until the veggies are beginning to get tender.

Add tomato paste and garlic, stir, and let it cook for 2 more minutes. Then, add cajun seasoning and stir to combine.

Toast the Orzo, Deglaze the Pan:

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.

Add Back in the Chicken & Let Simmer:

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 to ensure that it cooks evenly.

Finish it off with Cream, Spinach & Lemon:

Once the chicken and orzo is cooked through, turn off the heat. Temporarily remove the chicken from the pan. Stir in the heavy cream, spinach and lemon juice. This would be a good time to 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!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo in cast iron skillet

How Spicy is this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo?

Honestly, it depends! Every brand of store-bought cajun seasoning is slightly different. The one I used was somewhere between mild and spicy. There is definitely a smoky element to it as well, which may come off as spicy to some people.

However, the overall spice level of this recipe is toned down by the cream that’s added in at the end.

If you want to make this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo less spicy, you can definitely omit the additional 1 tsp of cajun seasoning listed under the orzo section.

If you want to make this more spicy, you can add more cajun seasoning and/or cayenne pepper. You could also reduce the amount of heavy cream to 1/4 cup.

Can I Make this Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo Gluten Free? Dairy Free?

Although I have not tested a gluten free version of this exact recipe yet, I do know that a few brands carry gluten free orzo. I’ve used Jovial in the past for other recipes, and like it a lot! It does tend to get a little mushier than normal orzo though, so you may have to adjust the cook time to prevent that.

Secondly, this can easily be made dairy free by swapping the heavy cream for something like Country Crock Plant Cream or full-fat canned coconut milk. It’ll be just as great this way!

Creamy Cajun Chicken orzo with plate in bottom right corner and skillet in top left corner

Can I Use Chicken Breast Instead of Chicken Thighs?

Yes, this recipe should also work with chicken breast. I prefer chicken thighs because they are more tender, flavorful and less prone to drying out. However, if you’d like to make this meal a bit “lighter” or just prefer chicken breast, you can definitely do that.

Make sure to beat down or butterfly your chicken breast until it’s 1/2-3/4″ thick so that it cooks through in time.

Another great way to ensure it stays moist is to dry brine it heavily with kosher salt prior to starting the recipe. Even just letting it sit in the salt for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients, is a game changer!

Expert Tips:

Use chicken thighs for ultimate tenderness: I love them because they’re so resistant to drying out, unlike chicken breast!
Toast the orzo first: Spending a few extra minutes toasting the orzo before adding the broth develops a nice depth of flavor.
Turn off the heat before adding heavy cream: This will prevent it from curdling. It’s also best if the heavy cream has sat at room temperature for a bit, instead of coming right from the cold fridge.

Creamy cajun chicken orzo on white plate with black fork and skillet in the background

How Should I Store the Leftovers?

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo is the type of meal that makes for great leftovers! Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge.

When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, you can either enjoy them cold or microwave until warm. Be sure to stir it throughout the microwave time so that it re-heats evenly and the cream doesn’t curdle.

Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.

Looking for more One Pan Dinners?

5 from 6 votes

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.

Servings people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Equipment

cutting board
knife
large pan
tongs
spatula