This Chicken with Orzo Marsala is a comfort food dish that’ll leave you saying, winner winner, chicken dinner!
Get ready to embrace the ultimate in cozy, satisfying meals with our incredible Chicken with Orzo Marsala! This isn’t just another dinner recipe; it’s a culinary hug in a bowl, designed to warm you from the inside out and bring a smile to everyone at your table. As the days grow shorter and temperatures plummet, there’s nothing quite like a hearty, flavorful dish to chase away the chill, and this recipe delivers on all fronts.
Winter calls for dishes that are both comforting and effortlessly elegant, and our Chicken with Orzo Marsala fits the bill perfectly. Forget elaborate preparations and complicated ingredient lists – this recipe focuses on simple, wholesome components brought together to create something truly extraordinary. It’s the kind of meal that feels special enough for a celebratory weekend dinner, yet it’s quick and easy enough to whip up on a busy Tuesday night. Get ready to discover your new go-to comfort food hero!
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Chicken with Orzo Marsala Recipe
In the depths of winter, with January’s cold air routinely dipping into the low 30s, our cravings naturally turn towards rich, warming foods. We’ve certainly had our share of delicious baked goods (if that’s even truly possible!), but now it’s time to shift gears and embrace the savory side of comfort. This Chicken with Orzo Marsala recipe embodies everything you crave in a cozy meal – it’s rich, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying.
Like many of my beloved comfort food creations, such as the vibrant Falafel Platter with Tzatziki Sauce, the hearty Beef Barley Soup, or Tom’s all-time favorite, the Classic Easy Meat Loaf, this dish brings that delightful warmth and contentment that only true comfort food can deliver. It strikes a wonderful balance between being wholesome and utterly indulgent, making it a perfect addition to your weekly rotation.
The Allure of Orzo: A Versatile Pasta Star
I’ve been eager to share another sensational orzo dish since the overwhelming success of my Pan Seared Scallops with Orzo Piccata a few months ago. The feedback was incredible, with so many of you trying it and expressing your love for that dish. Orzo truly is a remarkable pasta – its small, rice-like shape makes it incredibly versatile, perfect for absorbing rich sauces and adding a delightful texture to any meal without overwhelming it. It offers the satisfying heartiness of pasta but with a delicate presence that complements, rather than competes with, the robust Marsala sauce.
My inspiration for creating this Chicken with Orzo Marsala was simple: it stems from a desire to celebrate another one of Tom’s absolute favorite sauces. After perfecting the scallops with orzo piccata, a dish crafted around his love for piccata sauce, it was only natural to develop a new recipe featuring the rich, earthy flavors of Marsala. That’s just the kind of wife I am – always finding delicious ways to incorporate beloved flavors into our meals! This dish truly is a testament to the power of a great sauce paired with tender chicken and delightful orzo, promising to become a cherished recipe in your home too.
Key Ingredients for an Unforgettable Marsala Experience
Creating an exceptional Chicken with Orzo Marsala starts with selecting high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in building the depth and complexity of this incredible dish, ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor:
- Chicken Breasts: We use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces for quick cooking and easy serving. While breasts are traditional for their lean meat, chicken thighs could also be used for an even richer flavor and juicier texture. Just ensure they are cut uniformly for even cooking. Seasoning them well before searing is key to developing a robust flavor base.
- Mushrooms: A delightful blend of white button and baby bella (cremini) mushrooms offers a fantastic depth of earthy flavor and texture. Feel free to use your favorite variety, or even a wild mushroom mix for an gourmet touch. Sliced fresh mushrooms are essential here, as they soak up the Marsala sauce beautifully, becoming little sponges of savory goodness.
- Onions & Garlic: These form the aromatic foundation of our Marsala sauce. Freshly chopped onion and minced garlic are non-negotiable for that authentic, savory base, providing warmth and complexity. Don’t rush their sautéing; allowing them to soften and become translucent unlocks their full flavor potential.
- Orzo Pasta: This small, rice-shaped pasta is the heart of our dish. It cooks directly in the flavorful Marsala-infused broth, absorbing all the wonderful savory notes and becoming incredibly tender and delicious. Its size makes it perfect for blending into the sauce, creating a harmonious, cohesive meal.
- Marsala Wine: The star of the show! For savory cooking, always use a dry Marsala wine, not the sweet dessert wine. Its distinct nutty, slightly caramelized flavor is what defines the dish and elevates it from ordinary to extraordinary. If you absolutely can’t find Marsala, a dry sherry or even a dry white wine with a splash of brandy can be a decent substitute, though the flavor profile will subtly differ.
- Beef Broth: This provides a rich, savory liquid base for cooking the orzo and creating the luscious sauce. Using high-quality beef broth enhances the deep, umami flavors of the Marsala and mushrooms, contributing significantly to the dish’s overall richness.
- Butter & Olive Oil: These fats are crucial for searing the chicken to a golden perfection and sautéing the vegetables. They not only prevent sticking but also contribute to browning reactions that build layers of flavor. Using them together provides the best of both worlds – the high smoke point of olive oil and the rich flavor of butter.
- Seasonings: Simple kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of paprika are all you need to enhance the natural flavors of the chicken and sauce. These seasonings are fundamental for bringing out the best in each ingredient.
Expert Cook’s Notes for Your Perfect Chicken with Orzo Marsala
A Few Cook’s Notes for Chicken with Orzo Marsala Recipe:
To ensure your Chicken with Orzo Marsala turns out perfectly every time, keep these simple tips in mind:
- I used a delightful combination of white button and baby bella mushrooms for this recipe, which adds wonderful depth and variety in texture. However, feel free to use your favorite kind of mushrooms. Shiitake or oyster mushrooms would also be fantastic choices, adding unique textures and even more complex, umami-rich flavors.
- For those looking for a plant-based option, this dish tastes equally delicious prepared vegetarian style! Simply omit the chicken and perhaps increase the mushroom quantity or add a plant-based protein alternative like chickpeas or cannellini beans for a hearty, meatless meal. Make sure to use vegetable broth instead of beef broth in this case to keep it fully vegetarian.
- This dish is wonderfully complete on its own, providing a balanced and satisfying meal. However, I love to serve it with a fresh, crisp side salad tossed with a light vinaigrette to balance the richness, and a glass of dry Marsala wine, a light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir, or even a crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio, complements the flavors beautifully.
- When cooking the chicken, avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cook it in batches if necessary to ensure it browns nicely and develops a beautiful golden crust, rather than steaming. This creates a more flavorful base for the entire dish.
- Allow the Marsala wine to truly reduce after adding it. This step is crucial, as it concentrates its distinct flavors and ensures the sauce develops its signature depth without an overpowering alcohol taste. It should visibly thicken slightly and cling to the vegetables.
- Keep a close eye on the orzo as it simmers. While it needs to absorb the broth, you want it to be tender, not mushy. It should still have a slight bite (al dente) for the best texture, similar to a perfectly cooked risotto.
- If you find the sauce too thick at the end, a splash of extra beef broth or water can loosen it to your desired consistency. Conversely, if it’s too thin, let it simmer gently for a few more minutes until it reduces.
Seriously, can you say, “winner, winner, chicken dinner?!” This dish truly earns that title and more!
Imagine succulent, juicy white meat chicken, pan-fried to a beautiful golden brown, then enveloped in a rich, velvety Marsala wine sauce. This exquisite sauce is generously loaded with tender sautéed mushrooms, sweet onions, and aromatic garlic, all perfectly mingling with delicate, tender orzo pasta that has absorbed every last drop of flavor. It’s a symphony of textures and tastes that will tantalize your palate and leave you craving more, a testament to simple ingredients coming together in spectacular fashion.
The harmonious combination of savory chicken, earthy mushrooms, and the distinct sweet-and-savory notes of Marsala wine with the comforting embrace of orzo pasta creates a meal that sounds just as scrumptious as it tastes. This isn’t just a recipe; it’s an experience. It’s one meal you absolutely have to add to your regular weekly menu rotation, and once you try it, you’ll understand why it quickly becomes a family favorite.
This Marsala masterpiece is another one of those utterly delicious comfort food dishes that perfectly bridges the gap between everyday practicality and special occasion elegance. It’s easy enough to whip up for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner after a long day, yet sophisticated enough to impress your dinner guests this weekend. The best part? It comes together with minimal fuss, allowing you more time to savor the incredible flavors and enjoy the company. Whether it’s a casual family meal or a small gathering, this Chicken with Orzo Marsala is sure to be a showstopper. Enjoy every delightful bite!
Chicken with Orzo Marsala
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Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- salt, pepper and paprika
- 5 Tbsp. butter, divided
- 8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
- 8 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2/3 cup Marsala wine, divided
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is just cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet . Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook 5 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring often. Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add orzo and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted, stirring until well combined.
- Add 1/3 Marsala wine and bring to a boil. Cook until almost all wine is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add 2 1/2 cups beef stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pasta is tender and broth is mostly absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add chicken, additional 1/3 cup Marsala wine and remaining two tablespoons butter and continue to cook until chicken is heat through and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Divide among four dishes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.