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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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
One-pot creamy creamy orzo with chicken sausage goes great with these side dishes:
One-Pot Creamy Orzo with Chicken Sausage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ large onion, chopped
- ½ large zucchini, sliced into round discs then quartered
- 4 ounce (113 g) white button mushrooms, sliced
- 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
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.3 cloves garlic, 1/2 large onion, 1/2 large zucchini, 4 ounce (113 g) white button mushrooms, 3 fully-cooked chicken sausage links
- 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.1 1/2 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
- Serve hot.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Photographs by Jesse Reilly
Gaby,
This is on the menu for tomorrow night. Send the orzo vibes! How about a little salad of arugula with some lemon and olive oil?
Oh my, I need to eat lunch. Pavlovian response is kicking in.
Summer rocks!
That salad sounds great!!
so into this for dinner!!
I have been feeling spoiled with summer this year too! In Seattle there is still light in the sky at 10PM! I love it. This pasta looks wonderful and comforting no matter what the weather!
i am loving the long days and so much time as well. hope it stays like this forever…funny you mentioned that skirt incident, I saw a lady the other day same situation except that it was by the ice cream truck and little kids were there. I felt so bad for her. I always tie the ends of my flowy dresses. On a different note, i have never had orzo before and the pictures are inviting me to try it.
Finally beautiful weather in Smalltown, IN! Off to farmer’s market tomorrow morning for zucchini and whatever looks like something that might look good on the grill. This is a definite side dish on our table this weekend. I truly love orzo! I need to search this site for a good zucchini bread recipe!
I am with you, I am in love with summer! It is the best!! I am also in love with this pasta. I love orzo and the spicy chicken sausages? YUM! What a great quick and easy summer meal!
Lovely dish!
Summer is SUCH a gift! Can it just never end please? Love how quickly this comes together–more time outside for us!
Lol, so funny, sorry! Been there, done that, but summer is so worth it, isn’t it!
lol only you would have that issue at the grocery store. I guess that’s the downfall of dresses and skirts huh? PS pass me a big bowl of this? I’m starving!