Tasty Chicken Pot Pie Orzo

I never understood why chicken pot pie had to be such a production until I discovered you could skip the crust entirely. Don’t get me wrong—I love a good flaky crust as much as the next person. But on a Tuesday night when everyone’s hungry and I’m staring down a pile of leftover chicken, pie dough is the last thing I want to mess with.

That’s where orzo comes in. It gives you all that comfort food feeling without rolling out pastry or dirtying up extra dishes. You get the creamy, savory filling everyone loves about pot pie, but it cooks up in one pot in about thirty minutes. For busy weeknights, it’s pretty much perfect.

Ingredient Alternatives

• Orzo pasta: If you can’t find orzo, small pasta shapes like ditalini, acini di pepe, or even small shells work great. You can also use rice, though you’ll need to adjust the cooking time and liquid amounts accordingly.
• Chicken breasts: Rotisserie chicken is a huge time-saver here. You can also use chicken thighs for a richer flavor, or even leftover turkey works in a pinch.
• Heavy whipping cream: Half-and-half or whole milk can replace the heavy cream if you’re looking for something lighter. Just keep in mind the sauce won’t be quite as thick and rich.
• Butter: You can use all olive oil instead of butter if needed – just increase the olive oil to about 7 tablespoons total.
• Vegetables: The classic trio of celery, carrots, and onion is traditional, but feel free to add frozen peas, corn, or green beans. Just toss them in during the last few minutes of cooking.
• All purpose flour: For a gluten-free version, cornstarch works well as a thickener. Use about 2-3 tablespoons mixed with cold water instead of the flour.

Can I Use Rotisserie or Leftover Chicken Instead of Cooking Chicken Breasts?

Yes, rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken works perfectly in this recipe and can save time. Just shred or chop about 2 to 221​ cups of cooked chicken and skip the raw chicken cooking step.

You can still toss the meat with a bit of onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika for flavor, then add it to the sauce in Step 5 and let it simmer for a few minutes to warm through and absorb the flavors.

Since the chicken is already cooked, avoid simmering it too long or over very high heat—this can dry it out. Everything else in the recipe (orzo, vegetables, sauce) stays exactly the same.

What to Serve With Chicken Pot Pie Orzo?

A basic mixed greens salad with a light vinaigrette works perfectly, or you could go with a Caesar salad if you want something a bit more filling.

Dinner rolls or biscuits are also great for scooping up the sauce, and they really complete that cozy pot pie vibe.

If you’re feeding a crowd, roasted green beans or steamed broccoli make easy veggie sides that don’t require much effort.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chicken pot pie orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo will soak up some of the sauce as it sits, so you might want to add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

Freeze: This freezes pretty well for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just know that cream-based sauces can sometimes separate a bit after freezing, but a good stir while reheating usually brings it back together nicely.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a little extra broth or cream to get that creamy consistency back. You can also microwave individual portions, stirring every minute or so until heated through.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 95-105 g
• Carbohydrates: 185-210 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika

For the vegetables & sauce:

• 2 celery stalks, minced
• 2 carrots, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

For the pasta:

• 8 oz orzo pasta

Step 1: Cook the Orzo Pasta

• 8 oz orzo pasta

Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil.

Add a generous pinch of salt and cook the orzo pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.

Once cooked, drain the orzo and set it aside.

I like to toss the drained orzo with a tiny bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Season and Cook the Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, as well as a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 6-8 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3: Sauté the Vegetables and Make the Roux

• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 2 celery stalks, minced
• 2 carrots, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

In a large skillet, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the minced yellow onion, celery, and carrots.

Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables, whisking constantly to form a paste or roux.

Continue to stir and allow the roux to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to get rid of any raw flour taste.

Step 4: Make the Sauce

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

While stirring the roux and vegetables, slowly pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream.

Add the chicken bouillon powder and whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth with no clumps.

Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

For extra richness, I sometimes add a splash more cream at the end.

Step 5: Combine Chicken, Sauce, and Orzo

• cooked and chopped chicken from Step 2
• cooked orzo from Step 1

Add the chopped cooked chicken from Step 2 into the sauce and let everything simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens further.

Then gently fold in the cooked orzo from Step 1, stirring until well combined and heated through.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tasty Chicken Pot Pie Orzo

Delicious Tasty Chicken Pot Pie Orzo recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika

For the vegetables & sauce:

• 2 celery stalks, minced
• 2 carrots, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

For the pasta:

• 8 oz orzo pasta

Instructions

 

• Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook the orzo pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the orzo and set it aside. I like to toss the drained orzo with a tiny bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Season the chicken breasts on both sides with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, as well as a pinch of salt and black pepper. Heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced yellow onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables, whisking constantly to form a paste or roux. Continue to stir and allow the roux to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to get rid of any raw flour taste.
• While stirring the roux and vegetables, slowly pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Add the chicken bouillon powder and whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth with no clumps. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. For extra richness, I sometimes add a splash more cream at the end.
• Add the chopped cooked chicken from Step 2 into the sauce and let everything simmer together for a few minutes so the flavors meld and the sauce thickens further. Then gently fold in the cooked orzo from Step 1, stirring until well combined and heated through. Serve immediately and enjoy!