Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach (No Cream)

Name: Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach (no cream)
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 cup orzo pasta; ½ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, diced; 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced; 2 cups baby spinach; ½ cup feta crumbles; 1 lemon, zested and juiced; parsley to garnish

Jump to Recipe

Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach is an easy one pot meal that’s great when you want to get dinner done fast! This is a quick 20 minute dish and is the perfect recipe for busy weeknights.

Orzo with sun dried tomatoes and spinach in a pot.

If you love simple and delicious one-pot meals, you have to give this Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach recipe a try. Full of mediterranean flavors, you’re going to love how quick and flavorful this recipe is.

This is an easy weeknight dinner or would make the perfect side paired with a lean protein. Plus, this orzo is creamy and delicious without using any heavy cream.

If you love one pot meals, be sure to try my One Pot Lemon Shrimp Orzo or Chicken Risotto.

Table of Contents

You’ll Love One-Pot Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach is a simple and unique dish that’s both comforting and good for you. Packed with flavor and made with just a handful of ingredients, this is one recipe you will make again and again.

I love that you can make this recipe using just one pot. Plus, it’s a great main dish recipe that’s perfect for adding in whatever veggies or meats you have on hand.

I like to use leftover rotisserie chicken when I make this dish. You can use any cooked chicken breasts, turkey, or any other protein you have on hand. Or, leave out the meat altogether.

Orzo with Sun Dried tomatoes, spinach, and cooked chicken in a pot with feta and parsley sprinkled on top.

If you love sun dried tomatoes, this is sure to be your new favorite dish. Sun dried tomatoes have a sweet intense tomato flavor and pair perfectly with the other mediterranean flavors in this recipe.

This orzo with sun dried tomatoes recipe is made without cream, and instead focuses on the fresh flavors in the dish. I like to melt in some feta crumbles in the hot orzo and give the dish a bit of a creamy orzo finish.

So, if you love easy flavorful one-pot dishes, be sure to give this recipe a try. It’s simple, delicious, and so satisfying.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for recipe including onions, oil, lemon, and chicken.

Orzo: orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta that you can find in the pasta aisle of the grocery store. If you can’t find orzo, you can use a small similarly-shaped pasta instead.
Sun Dried Tomatoes: for best results use the oil-packed sun dried tomatoes. However, you can use the dried tomatoes as well.
Cooked Chicken: this is a great recipe to use up leftover rotisserie chicken or whatever cooked chicken you have on hand. Any leftover protein such as turkey, shrimp, or pork would work well here.
Spinach: fresh spinach is an easy addition to this dish and great way to get in extra veggies. You can use frozen thawed spinach (just be sure to squeeze out the extra moisture) or any other greens you’d like.
Feta: feta cheese has the classic mediterranean flavors and pairs perfectly with this dish. Goat cheese would work as well. You can make this more Italian-style by using parmesan cheese.

Olive Oil: just a bit of olive oil is needed to sauté the onion and prevent the orzo from sticking.
Onion: diced onion adds another level of flavor to this recipe.
Oregano: dried oregano is a classic mediterranean spice. You can substitute dried basil or Italian seasoning instead.
Garlic: here, I use three garlic cloves but you can use as little or as much as you like.
Chicken Broth: chicken broth is great to cook the orzo in. If you don’t have broth, you can substitute water or add in a bouillon cube.
Lemon: fresh lemon zest and lemon juice will make the flavors of this orzo with sun dried tomatoes really come to life.

Recipe Variations and Garnish

Variations: you can add other flavors and ingredients to this dish such as: kalamata olives, pine nuts, crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil or other fresh herbs, roasted red bell peppers, diced whole tomatoes, or even raisins.
Parsley: I like to finish off the dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, feta crumbles, and a drizzle of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes.

How to Make Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach

This recipe for Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach comes together fast and is super easy to make. Feel free to make it your own and add whatever veggies you have on hand.

Process shots showing how to make recipe including cooking the onions in oil and adding in the broth and pasta.

Step 1: sauté the onions and orzo

In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add in the minced garlic and oregano and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then, pour in the uncooked orzo and sauté, stirring constantly, until the orzo turns golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: add in broth and sun dried tomatoes

Next, pour in the chicken broth (or water) and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Bring the dish to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. You can add in a splash of white wine here if you’d like.

Cook the orzo, stirring frequently, until the liquid is all absorbed and the orzo is al dente, about 10 minutes. (Cooking times may vary by brand).

Step 3: add in cooked chicken and spinach

Stir in the diced cooked chicken, half of the feta cheese, lemon zest and juice, and the baby spinach. Cook just until the chicken is warmed and the spinach is wilted; about 2 minutes stirring frequently.

Step 4: garnish and serve

Next, once the spinach has wilted, remove the pot from stove. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves, the remaining feta cheese crumbles, and a drizzle of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes.

This is a great recipe served hot or at room temperature. Plus, it makes for an easy lunch and great leftovers.

Recipe Tips

Once you add the orzo to the pot, be sure to stir frequently to ensure that the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
While orzo is rice-shaped, it is actually a pasta. You can substitute other small shaped pastas in this recipe. If wanting to use rice instead, you’ll have to adjust the amount of liquid you are using.
I prefer using oil-packed sun dried tomatoes. The dried tomatoes without oil will work too.
If you don’t have chicken broth, you can always use water instead. If I don’t have broth, I like to add in a bouillon cube along with the water.
Leftover cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe. Feel free to omit the chicken if you’d like.
Change up the flavors of this dish by adding in kalamata olives, parmesan cheese, or another other roasted vegetables.

Orzo with sun dried tomatoes in a white bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are sun dried tomatoes in oil?

Sun-dried tomatoes in oil are dried tomato slices or halves that have been rehydrated and preserved in olive oil, enhancing their flavor and texture for culinary use.

Is orzo the same as rice?

Orzo is not the same as rice; it is a type of pasta, specifically a small, rice-shaped pasta.

How to cook orzo without draining it?

To cook orzo without draining it, use a method similar to risotto: In a pan, sauté the orzo in a bit of butter or oil until it turns lightly golden, then gradually add hot broth or water in small increments, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender and creamy, usually in about 10-15 minutes.

Orzo with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach in a pot with parsley and feta on top.

More Mediterranean Recipes

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or review in the comments section further down the page.

Stay in touch with me though social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!