Creamy Chicken Florentine with Orzo (Printable)
Silky chicken and orzo with spinach in a fragrant herbed cream broth—comfort food for chilly evenings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 medium carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
→ Starches
08 - 3/4 cup (about 4 oz) uncooked orzo pasta
→ Liquids
09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
→ Garnishes
16 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
17 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in thyme, basil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Add shredded chicken and uncooked orzo; toss to combine evenly.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, or until orzo is nearly tender.
05 - Stir in chopped spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Reduce heat to low and stir in half-and-half or heavy cream. Simmer gently without boiling for 3 to 5 minutes until heated through and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have hanging around your kitchen.
- The creamy broth absorbs into the orzo overnight, making leftovers somehow even better than the first bowl.
02 -
- Never let the soup come to a full boil after you add the cream or it will separate and look grainy instead of silky.
- The orzo will continue absorbing broth as the soup sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating leftovers to loosen it back up.
03 -
- Shred your rotisserie chicken while it is still warm because cold chicken fights back and you will end up with uneven chunks.
- Grate your own Parmesan from a wedge rather than using the powdered kind in the green can, because the real stuff melts into the soup and the other stuff just sits there.