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A note from Julie: this recipe is the same as when it first published in July 2013. The photographs have been updated for your viewing pleasure.

This one-pot creamy orzo with chicken sausage is a delightful dish that can be thrown together even on the busiest of weeknights! Use whatever you have in the fridge and you're sure to have a delicious meal at the end!
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I came up with this one-pot creamy orzo chicken sausage recipe one night randomly, as most dinner sometimes seem to be.

It’s usually me opening up the fridge and pulling out ingredients and seeing whether or not they would work together.

I remember when I first made this recipe, back in 2013, chicken sausage was still not really a thing yet.

It was just starting to hit the market but by no means was it popular yet.

I remember I was sent chicken sausage by a company (that now sells at Whole Foods!) to try because they were new to the market. I thought it couldn’t hurt to try.

That was how my love of chicken sausage came to be.

And also how this recipe for one-pot creamy orzo with chicken sausage came to be!

This one-pot creamy orzo with chicken sausage is a delightful dish that can be thrown together even on the busiest of weeknights! Use whatever you have in the fridge and you're sure to have a delicious meal at the end!

Can I make this with another pasta or grain?

Farro would be awesome with this or even making this with risotto/arborio rice.

Can I add different veggies to this?

Yes, absolutely.

I made this in the summer so I used a lot of seasonal/summer vegetables.

You can use whatever vegetables you like.

This one-pot creamy orzo with chicken sausage is a delightful dish that can be thrown together even on the busiest of weeknights! Use whatever you have in the fridge and you're sure to have a delicious meal at the end!

What kind of chicken sausage should I use?

Use pre-cooked chicken sausage. Not fresh.

It can be any flavor!

Can I use a different kind of sausage?

If you want to use another kind (such as beef or pork) of pre-cooked sausage, sure.

I can’t have dairy

Sure, no problem. You can omit the heavy cream.

The orzo gets fairly creamy standalone but the heavy cream just gives it an extra splash of decadence.

This one-pot creamy orzo with chicken sausage is a delightful dish that can be thrown together even on the busiest of weeknights! Use whatever you have in the fridge and you're sure to have a delicious meal at the end!

Is this spicy?

No, but you can make it spicy if you want by adding crushed red pepper flakes to it.

My orzo is crunchy

That means it hasn’t cooked through yet. Keep cooking it!

My liquid is all gone but my orzo hasn’t finished cooking

Add a little more chicken stock/broth, cover, and let it keep cooking.

This one-pot creamy orzo with chicken sausage is a delightful dish that can be thrown together even on the busiest of weeknights! Use whatever you have in the fridge and you're sure to have a delicious meal at the end!

One-pot creamy creamy orzo with chicken sausage goes great with these side dishes:

Best summer tomato salad

Roasted parmesan carrots

Garlic roasted green beans

Roasted potatoes

Parmesan pistachio kale chips

This creamy orzo with chicken sausage dish is an easy 30-minute weeknight meal that is fully customizable to your palate! #onepot #creamyorzo #orzo #pasta #easypasta #pastarecipe #chickensausage #easydinner #dinnerrecipe
4.75 from 8 votes

One-Pot Creamy Orzo with Chicken Sausage

This creamy orzo with chicken sausage dish is an easy 30-minute weeknight meal that is fully customizable to your palate!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • ½ large zucchini, sliced into round discs then quartered
  • 4 ounce (113 g) white button mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ large onion, chopped
  • 3 fully-cooked chicken sausage links, sliced into round discs then quartered, any brand
  • 1 ½ cup (225 g) orzo
  • 2 cups (473 ml) low-sodium chicken stock or broth
  • 7 ounce (199 g) canned diced tomatoes
  • Splash of heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
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Instructions 

  • In a large pot, over medium high heat, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and add in the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onions and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sausage. Cook until mushrooms have reduced in size, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the orzo to the pot and toast it for about minute, stirring constantly. Gently add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until orzo has cooked through. Stir in the diced tomatoes and add the splash of cream (about 1 tbsp). The mixture should still be creamy because of the starch from the orzo. If it is still a bit runny, you can cover and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 394kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 7g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

Photographs by Jesse Reilly

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65 Comments

  1. Shannon says:

    This is one of our go-to recipes. We follow it exactly as written but always use a splash of full fat oat milk in place of the heavy cream and it’s fabulous. Highly recommend that option for those that can’t have dairy.

  2. Crystal says:

    So good! I added some shredded Parmesan cheese that took it over the top! Loved it!

  3. Jane Barnes says:

    Another winner for me and my husband! Slowly working or eating our way through all the recipes!

  4. Dawn says:

    Delicious! My husband absolutely loved it! I didn’t have any regular diced tomatoes so i had to use Rotel, so it was mildly spicy. I added a little more half & half to tone it down slightly. The chicken sausage was not spicy, they had granny smith apples as a filler in the sausage.

  5. Melissa Torrez says:

    This is a perfect week night recipe! One of my favorites espcially when it’s chilly outside, but it’s a quick and easy dish for any season. I usually sub sliced Baby Bellas or Criminis for the white button mushrooms. Also grate in some fresh parmesan instead of the cream.

  6. Anna Haynes says:

    Another recipe added to the routine! I love creamy orzo! I added an extra TBS of heavy cream and topped the dish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese! I also paired it with slices of fresh bread and butter! Delish! ?

    1. Julie Wampler says:

      So glad you enjoyed this!!

  7. Inna L says:

    Love love this dish! Really yummy!

    1. Inna L says:

      Thought the orzo was a rice not a pasta but eventually figured it out! From one of these comments actually!

  8. Stephanie says:

    Made this tonight and it was fantastic!! My only concern is you might want to add that the sausage you used was already fully cooked. I bought (fresh) chicken sausage links and wasn’t sure if the recipe would cook them as written, so I cooked it in the pot and then set it aside before cooking the garlic/zucchini/onions. Just wanted to post so others could be aware. Thanks for a great recipe, it was delicious and I’m already looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

    1. Julie says:

      Thanks for the tip! I’ll modify the recipe to note that.