Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake takes the viral creamy sun-dried tomato chicken and moves it into one 9×13 dish, with the orzo cooking in the broth underneath. Prep is five minutes: stir, scatter, lay the thighs on top, and walk away. Under an hour later, dinner for five is on the table with one dish to wash. It’s easy enough for a weeknight and good enough for company.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Orzo: cooks right in the broth and soaks up all the sauce. Stick with orzo, because other small pastas absorb liquid at different rates and can come out crunchy or mushy.
- Low-sodium chicken broth: the cooking liquid for the orzo. Low-sodium matters because the parmesan and artichokes bring plenty of salt. Vegetable broth works too.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: the backbone of the Marry Me flavor. Julienne-cut ones need no chopping. Dry-packed ones work as well, since they soften in the broth.
- Artichoke hearts: canned or marinated both work. Rinse canned ones to take the brine edge off, and just drain marinated ones.
- Cherry tomatoes: they soften and burst into the sauce as it bakes. Grape ot plum tomatoes swap in directly.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: they stay juicy through a long bake. Breasts work if you choose smaller ones.
- Heavy cream and parmesan: stirred in at the end for the creamy finish. Half-and-half works in place of cream. Grate the parmesan finely yourself, because bagged pre-shredded parmesan can clump.
- Baby spinach: wilts into the hot orzo in about a minute. Frozen works too: use half a 10-ounce box, thawed and squeezed dry.
- Tomato paste, jarred garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper: the seasoning. If little ones are eating, use ¼ teaspoon of pepper flakes or skip them.
How to Make Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake
- Mix the orzo base. Heat the oven to 400°F. In a 9×13 dish, whisk the broth and tomato paste, then stir in the orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt. Spread the orzo flat so every grain is under the liquid, because anything poking out stays hard.
- Layer the vegetables and chicken. Scatter the artichokes and cherry tomatoes over the orzo. Lay the thighs on top in a single layer, not overlapping, and season them with the smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Bake covered, then uncovered. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes; the trapped steam is what cooks the orzo. Uncover and bake 12 to 15 minutes more, until the orzo is tender and the thickest piece of chicken reads 165°F.
- Stir in the creamy finish. Move the chicken to a cutting board. Stir the cream and parmesan into the orzo, then tear in the spinach and stir until it wilts. The orzo will look loose at this stage, and it thickens as it sits.
- Slice, rest, and serve. Slice the chicken, lay it back on top, and let the dish rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon over the top if you like, and serve.
Tips for Getting It Right
Crunchy orzo is almost always a liquid problem: either grains were sitting above the broth, or the foil let the steam escape. Fix those two things and the rest takes care of itself.
- Press the orzo flat before adding anything on top, and check the corners.
- Crimp the foil tightly around all four edges.
- Keep the chicken in one layer so it finishes at the same time as the orzo.
- If it looks soupy after stirring, let it rest a few extra minutes. The orzo keeps absorbing liquid.
- Taste before serving, because parmesan and artichokes vary in saltiness.
What to Serve With It
The orzo covers the starch, so keep the sides simple.
- Vegetable: Honey Mustard Green Beans
- Salad: Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese
- Bread: garlic bread
FAQ
The name stuck to creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan chicken because it’s supposedly good enough to inspire a proposal. This version keeps those flavors and adds orzo, so it’s a full meal in one dish.
Yes. Choose smaller breasts, or slice thick ones in half horizontally so they don’t dry out. Start checking for 165°F a few minutes after you take the foil off.
Barely. Most kids won’t notice ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and you can leave them out entirely and add them at the table instead.
Yes. Half-and-half works with no other changes. Whole milk gives a thinner sauce, so add an extra handful of parmesan.
Not fully, because orzo left sitting in broth softens before it ever bakes. You can season the chicken and measure the dry ingredients up to a day ahead, then assemble right before baking.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The orzo soaks up the sauce overnight, so add a splash of broth before reheating in the microwave or in a covered dish at 350°F. Freezing isn’t recommended, since the cream sauce turns grainy and the orzo goes soft.
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Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 heaped cup orzo uncooked
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, can add later if not everyone likes heat
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces artichoke hearts canned or marinated, drained and rinsed, large pieces torn in half
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 pint
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs about 7
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Stir in at the end
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup finely grated parmesan
- 6 ounces baby spinach
- ½ lemon optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Whisk the broth and tomato paste in a 9×13 dish. Stir in the orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, 1½ tsp Italian seasoning, pepper flakes (optional), and ¼ tsp salt. Press the orzo flat under the liquid.1 heaped cup orzo, 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Scatter the artichokes and cherry tomatoes over the orzo.8 ounces artichoke hearts, 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- Lay the chicken on top in one layer. Season with the paprika, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, and the pepper.1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the orzo is tender and the chicken hits 165°F.
- Move the chicken to a board. Stir in the cream and parmesan. Tear in the spinach and stir until wilted.⅓ cup heavy cream, ¾ cup finely grated parmesan, 6 ounces baby spinach
- Slice the chicken and return it to the dish. Rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon over and serve.½ lemon
Notes
Seal the foil tightly on all edges.
Lay the chicken in one layer, with no overlap.
Soupy after stirring? Rest it a few minutes longer.
Taste for salt before serving.