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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
- 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
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
Photographs by Jesse Reilly
I’m just curious. Have you ever made this in the crockpot? Would you change anything, other than the time?
Hi Diana, no, I haven’t made this in the crockpot before. I don’t know if I can give advice on this because I don’t think this is a dish that you should make in a slow cooker, however, if you do try it and it is a success, please do come back and let me know how it turned out!
@Diana McGhin, did you try the slow cooker for this recipe?
I JUST REALIZED I USED RISOTTO!!! lol!!! Thats why it took so long. I thought when I read the recipe that it had sounded like a really short time to cook risotto!!! I guess I heard orzo, thought risotto? Well I’m glad the mystery has been solved. And let me say, it is DELICIOUS with risotto!!! Next time I will brown the sausage in a pan first! But I will be making this again!
Haha oh no! Orzo is a type of pasta :) next time it won’t take you that long but I’m glad you enjoyed it either way!
Just made this for dinner tonight! I didn’t use zucchini, and added broccoli, kale, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and andouille chicken sausage. I also added some parmesan cheese at the end. Very delicious! My only problem is that it took about an hour to cook, and I had to take some chicken stock out of the freezer (which I warmed up before I added it in) because 2 cups was not nearly enough to cook the rice. Any thoughts? Thanks for all the great recipes!
This sounds like a dish I will definitely make soon! I’m going to go rogue and try it in the slow cooker. As a mom who works full time, I’m always turning to my slow cooker to help get meals ready!!
@Sara, how did it turn out in the crockpot
Made this for dinner this week and my husband is already requesting it for a dinner in the near future. Thanks for the great recipe!
used basil and garlic diced tomatoes and finished it off with a splash of balsamic vinegar…this was delicious!!!
Just made this last night and this recipe totally rocks! But you didn’t mention one of the best parts: it’s a one-pot meal! That’s a biggie for me because when I cook, I’m known to turn the kitchen into a disaster area. Anyway, this tasted great and I’m betting it would freeze well. It’s so versatile too. I made a double batch for me and my boyfriend to take to work. I like having something I can just pop in the microwave at work rather than having something to fiddle around with and assemble. Will definitely be making this again!
Ahh, I can’t believe I didn’t mention it was one-pot! I usually strive to mention those things because I adore one-pot meals! I’m glad you enjoyed this so much :) it’s one of my absolute favorites!!
I made this recipe a few nights ago. I don’t blog or normally post on any, but this was so good that I had to let you know! Thanks for sharing! I will definitely be making this again.
Thanks so much R! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and came back to tell me so!! :)
I feel like as a woman, a dress/skirt flying up because of the wind is always bound to happen at least once. LOL.
This orzo looks delicious and simple, too. I would love to try this out. :)
this orzo is sooo good! i changed up the veggies based on what i happened to have on hand and it still turned out wonderful. thank you for such a great recipe!!!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback!