One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo

This zesty 30-minute One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo is a weeknight game changer. It’s also fancy enough for your weekend dinner party! 

This is a sponsored post on behalf of ShopRite. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make The Beach House Kitchen possible.

Hey there folks. Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

I think most schools are now out for summer, so you know what that means…the lazy days of summer are here!! Woohoo!

And that hopefully means more fun in the sun and less work overall. Even in the kitchen.

Easy Tangy One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo

So today, I’m keeping things super simple and deliciously bold with this One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo. This is a 30-minute meal that’s full of juicy boneless, skinless chicken thighs, onions, garlic, tomatoes, tangy balsamic vinegar and orzo pasta.

I’m sharing this delicious 30-minute meal with the help of my friends from ShopRite®. I’ve been a ShopRite shopper for years and I’m so excited to partner with them to bring you today’s easy summer meal using their boneless, skinless chicken thighs from their Bowl & Basket™ line.

ShopRite’s® Bowl & Basket™ line is a collection of carefully crafted foods and ingredients created by the ShopRite® team we all have come to trust over the years. Foods that we feel comfortable feeding our families because they’re good for us and taste great!

Bowl & Basket™ Fresh Chicken is now available in ShopRite’s meat department, just in time for grilling season!

What I love about this chicken is that it has no antibiotics ever, no added steroids or hormones and it’s a USDA Grade A certified, quality assured product of the USA.

One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo Ingredients

• Bowl & Basket™ boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• paprika
• Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• olive oil and butter
• yellow onion
• garlic
• fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• low-sodium chicken broth
• balsamic vinegar
• brown sugar
• red pepper flakes
• orzo pasta
• capers

I decided on boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because we love chicken thigh dinners at our house. They’re always so juicy and tender.

You’ll cube your chicken and toss in some olive oil and spices and then brown in your skillet until almost cooked through. Then you’ll lightly toast your orzo with some butter before adding some chopped onion and garlic, followed by chicken broth, orzo pasta, some flavorful balsamic vinegar, brown sugar for sweetness and red pepper flakes for heat. You’ll bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down to a simmer until the pasta is tender and the chicken is cooked through. I toss in three tablespoons of capers, Tom’s favorite, at the end until they’re heated through.

This dish is perfect served with crusty bread and a glass of medium-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel.

Hope you add this dish to your list of summer go-to, easy one-pot recipes friends! Enjoy!

A Few Cook’s Notes for One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo

You’ll bring the entire chicken orzo mixture to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer. You’ll need to simmer the mixture, covered, for about 10-12 minutes or until the orzo has completely absorbed the liquid and the chicken is cooked through.

If you’re not a fan of capers you don’t need to add them. We love them, so three tablespoons is the perfect amount for us. They give the dish some added zest.

More Delicious Orzo Recipes to Enjoy

Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad with Shrimp 

Pan Seared Scallops with Orzo Piccata 

Chicken with Orzo Marsala 

One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 4 servings

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This zesty 30-minute One-Pot Balsamic Chicken and Orzo is a weeknight game changer. It's also fancy enough for your weekend dinner party!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients  

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, I use ShopRite Bowl & Basket™ fresh chicken, cut into 1-1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta, uncooked
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, more if you like things spicier
• 3 Tbsp. capers

Instructions 

• Add the cubed chicken to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper until well coated. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet with a slotted spoon to a plate. Set aside.
• Add the butter to the skillet and cook the orzo over medium heat, tossing often, until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook for 2-3 until the onions are slightly translucent and softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often.
• Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. After the mixture comes to a boil, add the chicken back to the skillet with any juices and reduce the temperature to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the orzo absorbs the liquid and the chicken is totally cooked through, about 10-12 minutes, adding the capers in the last minute. Remove from the heat and let stand about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

You'll bring the entire chicken orzo mixture to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer. You'll need to simmer the mixture, covered, for about 10-12 minutes or until the orzo has completely absorbed the liquid and the chicken is cooked through.

If you're not a fan of capers you don't need to add them. We love them, so three tablespoons is the perfect amount for us. They give the dish some added zest.

Keyword: 30-minute meal, balsamic vinegar, Chicken, one-pot meal, orzo pasta, ShopRite

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Main Dish