Chicken Marsala Orzo

5 from 3 votes

This chicken marsala orzo recipe brings together classic flavors in a simple one pot meal! It's ready in 30 minutes, and the mushroom marsala sauce tastes gourmet.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken marsala orzo

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms sliced
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard see note
1/2 cup marsala wine see note
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy/whipping cream
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken shredded
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley optional, to taste

Instructions

Add the oil and butter to a soup pot/Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and onions.
Sauté until the mushrooms have released their water, it cooks off, and the mushrooms and onions are nicely seared (about 10-12 minutes).
Stir in the garlic, Dijon mustard, and marsala. Cook until reduced by half (about 1-2 minutes).
Stir in the chicken broth, cream, and orzo. Once it just starts to boil, reduce the heat (to medium or even medium-low) and continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. It should gently (but steadily) bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the orzo has cooked.
Stir in the chicken and parmesan. Take the pot off the heat and cover for 5 minutes or until the chicken warms through and the sauce thickens up a bit more. Season with salt & pepper as needed, garnish with the parsley if using, and enjoy immediately.

Notes

I recommend using semi-secco (semi-sweet) or dry marsala wine for this recipe.
You don't need to go out and buy a jar of Dijon mustard if you're not a fan or don't have any; it's just something I like to add to cream sauces to give a little more depth of flavor.
Troubleshooting tips: as with any one pot meal, stoves and pots can vary, so you may need to make adjustments as you're going along. You may need to add more liquid if it's looking low before the orzo is cooked. If there's too much liquid or the sauce hasn't thickened by the time suggested cooking time is done, simply cook it for a bit longer (or let it sit longer with the lid on).

Nutrition