Garlic Chicken with Orzo Noodles

I am only giving this 4 stars because I had to modify it just a little bit. I brought a small pot of chicken broth to a boil and cooked the orzo in that. I had planned to drain off any extra broth, but it ended up soaking all in and making the orzo really nice and creamy. I sauteed the garlic and red pepper in olive oil then added the pieces of chicken. When the chicken was finished I added the orzo to it and stirred letting it sit on low heat for about 10 minutes. The result was YUMMY! My husband really liked it and has asked for it again. Thanks for sharing!

I love this recipe because it's fast and delicious. We love strong flavors and the red pepper makes it great. I add at least 1 clove more of garlic, plenty of salt and spice, according to my taste that day. You can slant this recipe either Greek or Italian, to your tastes. If going Greek, add 1 tsp. oregano, chopped Greek olives and crumbled feta,(before serving), if desired. To swing it Italian, add basil instead of oregano and serve with shredded parmesan. I've made this several times, sometimes subbing diced Italian-style tomatoes when I don't have the spinach. Either way, spinach or tomatoes, you can't go wrong with this easy delicious recipe!

The recipe here was overall a great base. I took the suggestion of cooking the orzo in chicken broth and added oregano for my spice. I diced the garlic in order for the flavor to come out more (along with adding a few extra gloves in order to prevent any blandness). I went with tomatoes instead of spinach, and found it was quite the hit. I served this with peas and corn which provided enough extra "color." It was a HUGE hit with my family; however, my one caution would be to NOT overcook the orzo. I did that a bit and although it was still delicious, that would have made a difference.

this was great with some changes. chicken broth for orzo. lemon juice and rosemary mixed in in the end.

Yummy! Very easy to make and full of flavor. I did find it a tad oily though, so next time I will only use half the olive oil.

I loved this and will be making it again. I added cayenne as well as onion , yellow pepper and a whole head of garlic. I first browned the orzo in oil then added the rest . I also browned the chicken first and set aside then added at the end . Used chick broth as well.

I picked 4 stars, but wpuld have been closer to 3.5. It is not bland, but a littel one dimensional. I added pepper. I would add more lemon and a bit of lemon zest next time. I agree that it was a bit oily. I would do 1.5 tbs next time.

People ask me to make this all the time! When I don't have fresh basil, ground works fine. Diced tomatoes also taste good with this.

To add flavor, I cooked the orzo in broth and add more red pepper. I also added romano cheese and let it melt into the orzo mixture.

This was awesome! Boiled orzo in 2.5 cups chicken broth, was perfect, didn't need to be drained. Oil, garlic & red pepper, I didn't measure, just used what was to our taste. Tossed in cheese when I added orzo, parsley & spinach. Cooked until spinach was wilted & topped with more cheese. Loved it. Was super simple for a week night, chopped chicken & garlic while waiting for chicken broth to boil. Tore spinach, chopped parsley, grated cheese while chicken was cooking. Tossed it all together, let it cook a couple minutes and dinner was served. I didn't time it, but I'm sure dinner was on the table in less than 30 minutes. Like someone said a little feta, olive and a squeeze of lemon could make this Greek.

this, was very good but i only gave it four stars because i think it would have been sort of blah without the additions that i made.the amount of chicken is sort of vague, so i used an 11-oz. breast. i added a red and an orange bell pepper, cubed, some thickly sliced mushrooms, and doubled the spinach. following the advice of another reviewer, i cooked the orzo in broth until it was creamy, and i covered the pot after adding the spinach to help wilt all the extra spinach. it was very colorful, with lots of complimentary tastes and textures.

This is easily moved up to five stars with a few simple changes. First, yes, yes yes, cook the orzo in chicken broth for much better flavor. Also, I only use 1 tablespoon oil for sauteing the garlic and chicken and I add a sliced onion while I'm at it. I love the spinach in this dish, but it would work just as well with some pre-steamed broccoli, peas or diced tomatoes. This is just such a yummy dish that begs for you to be creative and make it a little different each time!

Very nice! I upped the garlic to 4 cloves, and added 1/4 of a preserved lemon to the chicken toward the end of the sauteeing, I'll definitely make this again.

This is a great combination of flavors and textures, and healthy! The orzo pasta makes this VERY kid friendly. I usually toast the pasta for a few minutes in a dry skillet prior to cooking in boiling water, adds a little nutty flavor.

Loved it substituted broccoli for the spinach and add the red peppers & cheese to mine only...(DD is on a dietary restriction to milk this meal was great)....Keeper...

I loved all the ingredients; but very very bland. This was a dish I made because I had everything on hand; but I had to add way more seasoning, garlic, etc. It was just a very bland dish

This recipe was great, I didn't see the suggestion about boiling it in chicken broth until after my orzo was in the water. I added some chicken boulion into the boiling water in the last 4 minutes of cooking and it tasted great. I will definitely keep this in my "need a meal quick" recipe book.

I gave it four stars instead of five because I altered the recipe a little since a lot of people said it was bland. For the orzo, I first browned it in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Then I added two cups of chicken broth and let it simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. For the rest, I doubled the garlic and parsley and followed the cooking instructions as in the recipe. I also added 1/2 cup of grated parmesan and 1/2 lb of sauteed mushrooms the same time I added the spinach. Turned out very very good. I'm keeping this one around.

i replaced the orzo noodles bow tie ones only because my local store didn't have them, but it turned out great! A little spicy for my husband. But we both loved the taste. Awesome dish. Will be making it again :D

My husband and I don't share tastes too often, but we both liked this recipe. I got my pasta and cheese, and he got his chicken with a kick, thanks to the red pepper. I followed the recipe with the few exceptions: the orzo was cooked in chicken broth, used basil instead of parsley, and added mushrooms, yellow squash, and zucchini the last couple minutes of cooking the chicken. Easy and delicious way to eat your veggies. Thanks for the recipe!

VERY GOOD......use broth instead of water for the orzo. Doubled the recipe and used chicken and smoked sausage. Next time will add lemon juice to the orzo :)

My husband and I love veggies and frequently add in some sliced carrots, broccoli, and whatever else we happen to have on hand. I like to add a splash of dry white wine after the garlic and red pepper have been browned. It's a great side dish if you leave out the chicken or it can be a nice and light summer meal with grilled chicken or fried fish

i tried this recipe and it is not bad at all but i think you could kick it up a notch by adding lemon grass.

I really enjoyed this. I did make a few changes, such as cooking the orzo in chicken broth. I also grilled my chicken breast before cutting it into chunks and adding it in. I upped the garlic to 4 cloves, just because I love garlic! I also substituted petite fresh green beans for the spinach, as I don't like cooked spinach. This was a simple, quick meal that I'll make again.

FANTASTIC! It is a special moment when you come across a recipe that really just straight up knocks your socks off and by golly, I had one of those moments tonight! As suggested by the original poster, I tossed in some dice tomatoes along with the rest of the ingredients and found an instant hit. Thanks for sharing!

ORZO...the new rice...who'd a thunk it. I DID not know. I always thought..."What's the point". If you want pasta...USE PASTA. Then I realized I'd rather use rice shaped pasta...THAN RICE. Also, I try to use Whole Wheat products when available...as it is with ORZO. Though I still haven't figured out Whole Wheat Gnocchi. I'd be buying WW potatoes if I could find them. Alas, that's another time and place. As far as the rest...add mushrooms, broccoli and WAAAAY more garlic if you want to ooze any garlic out of your pores. Plus, how can you call something a garlic dish to feed 4 without adding a lot more than 2 cloves? The better Parmesan you use...the better it tastes. I like to add more spinach also...since spinach reduces so much. Arugula would probably add a peppery nature to the leafy greens if one wanted to try that, or add both. Another time I cooked it I did the broth/stock instead of water to cook the Orzo. Also added diced garlic to the brothsock. Added a flavorful element. Lots of Parm/Regg also.

I thought this was great! I increased the garlic to 3 cloves and added onion and cayenne pepper. I also used the whole bag of spinach and cooked the orzo in chicken broth.

This is one of my go-to recipes and one of my husbands favorites! I usually add extra spinach and leave out the parsley. I also use chicken broth to cook the orzo in.

Easy to prepare and with a green salad, a complete meal. My husband said it is ok but rather bland. I get that. We are garlic lovers so I used 5 cloves of garlic, slicing them into thick slices. The taste was not overbearing at all. The recipe didn't say to do anything with the garlic, but when garlic is sliced it provides more flavor. Next time I make this and there will be a next time, I will use about 10 cloves of garlic as it really gives it a little kick to bite into a browned tender slice of garlic. I didn't have spinach, so I used frozen peas at the last. Next time I will be prepared with spinach, which I think may kick up the flavor and reduce the blandness. Also, the increased garlic will give it a distinctive taste. The 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper is just right.

I liked this and added onions... so quick and easy. Add extra spinach and mushrooms . Awesome.

This was a great starting point.. I made the recipe.. But, didn't add two cloves of garlic because i made a sauce creamy sauce.. Melt 1tsp of butter add 2 tsp of crushed garlic and then 1/4 cream the 1/2 of parm cheese.. mixed it all together and added chicken and orzo.. I also topped with broccoli.. It was AMAZING!!!!.

Easy and great to eat. will make again

I agree with many of the reviews on here, a good base. Delicious, quick, and easy. I'd definitely make again. A nice alternative to pasta - I love orzo!

Very good - we like it with chicken, but we LOVE it with mushrooms instead. Same recipe, less time to cook!

Very tasty! Should have made extra "sauce". Was a little dry.

This is a wonderful dish. I'm a novice at cooking, but it's surprisingly easy to make. I'm just not into washing the dishes after wards. =) I like to change it up a little by adding rosemarie and topping it off with good helping of sundried tomatoes, instead of parsley and cheese. I love this dish. Thank you.

I just tried this recipe and me and my family enjoyed it. It was also an easy dinner to make after coming home from a hard days work..:-)

Very good! only gave 4 stars because the orzo needed to be cooked with chicken broth.

Pretty good flavor.

This recipe was very good, I was impressed. I did double the red pepper and it gave it a nice bite. I also followed other reviewers suggestions and added some lemon juice over the top which turned out nice too.

This was a great one pot meal and easy enough to make on a busy weeknight. I used fresh broccoli in place of the spinach and left out the crushed red pepper flakes. Yummy I would make this again.

I cooked the orzo in chicken broth as suggested by others. I imagine this dish would be pretty bland without it, but be careful: it does increase the saltiness of the dish. With the broth and olives added, it definitely turned out on the salty side. I used oregano instead of parsley and omitted the spinach. Next time, I will try it with tomatoes, as suggested, and use less oregano (I used 1/2 tsp per serving).

Very good, I'll make it again I'm sure.

The orzo makes this recipe ( I added more like 1 1/4 cup) and you need to use fresh parsley, as opposed to dry, since this recipe doesn't have many spices. I added some pepper to taste, but overall, it's a great recipe as is! I think it would also be delicious with salmon in place of the chicken.

I give this 5 stars for a combination of overall yumminess and EASE. So quick, so yummy and I feel good feeding it to my fam. Change it up if you want, can't really go wrong.

I made this dish and I added red bell pepper and green peppers for color and flavour. My husband really liked it therefore I will make this again.

This was a very simple and tasty recipe. I did follow others suggestions to use chicken broth. I put in a lot of spinach, and also added mushrooms. It was a big hit. Thanks for the yummy recipe.

This is one of my go-to recipes. I love it! Since finding it on here I've probably made it 20 times. I stick to the recipe except I don't add parsley. It's so easy and delicious!

Was ok. Not much flavor.

Excellent! Used one more clove of garlic about 3 cups spinach, and cooked orzo in chicken broth as other suggested. It looks fancy, but very simple! Will add to the dinner rotation!

Very good. I will make it again but add more pepper

Cooked orzo in chicken broth as per other reviewers' suggestions and added some sauteed mushrooms as well. Delicious!

This was fantastic! Very enjoyable, and my boyfriend is very picky. I omitted the spinach, and it was still tasty.

absolutely fabulous! no orzo at my store though :( so i used bowtie pasta, worked fine. loved the spinach, adds some color and fiber, good stuff. tried it with shrimp and it came out funny, the shrimp had a weird fishy smell and really didn't absorb the flavors well.........hmmmm

This was very good but could be five stars I think. Next time will add some diced tomato and sautee the orzo with garlic before cooking in chicken broth. I also might sautee the chicken in some white wine and garlic as well. Liked the heat of the red pepper flakes. Also, will use more spinach next time. Very good for a quick meal that left us a lunch for the next day!

I really enjoyed this recipe, but I did make a few modifications. I sauteed a red bell pepper for a few minutes before adding the garlic and red pepper. I also used cilantro instead of parsley which I think adds great flavor to the dish. Also used steamed broccoli instead of the spinach. This was very tasty. I will definitely make this again! Thank you.

I thought this was just OK, but my kids LOVED it. I used tomatoes instead of spinach, and added italian seasoning. Instead of crushed red pepper, I sauteed some Anaheim chilis I needed to use up with the garlic. I loved how quick it was.

I really enjoyed this recipe. I cooked the chicken in chicken broth and added basil and lots of black pepper with some garlic salt. soooo good

I loved this recipe, but I had to add more red pepper. I also used chicken and shrimp, which was great! Next time I plan to add pine nuts, tomatoes and possible some basil for a different flavor.

Made this tonight for dinner. It was very good and easy. I made the chicken ahead, and would not recommend that. I did substitute tomatoes for the spinach since we do not like cooked spinach.

Super easy & super tasty. Great for when you are short on time. I followed others advice & cooked the orzo in chicken broth. I also seasoned the chicken with poultry seasoning, salt & pepper before I added it to the pan. Doubled the garlic & the spinach and added mushrooms as well. the boyfriend cleaned his plate & went back for seconds.

with a family of 13 this was the perfect dish. no complaints between the ages of 3-43

healthy fast option, did not have fresh parsley but still turned out fine. Add more spinach for a healthy kick.

Orzo was a nice change to regular pasta or rice. Added a splash of sherry cooking wine, and a can of low sodium chicken broth half way through cooking chicken for more flavor and to keep the chicken moist. Turned out very nice! Comforting, but still pretty healthy winter meal. Thanks!

This dish was ok. My complaint is that it was rather bland.

Pretty bland. I added a lot more garlic and added some extra veggies.

This recipe needs a lot of help. It is really bland with no sauce to speak of. Maybe cook the orzo in something other than water (wine, broth). It's a few ingredients away from being enjoyable.

I have to give this five stars just for being so fast and easy! It was less than 1/2 hour, start to finish. I did cook the orzo in water with chicken bouillon, just for added flavor, and took the suggestion of the submitter to sub diced tomatoes for the spinach. This is a very versatile recipe, you could make all kinds of changes to the seasonings to suit your own tastes!

I thought this was good, but a little bland (I did cook the orzo in chicken broth), but my husband loved it. He is SUPER picky, so anything he likes is good in my book!

Nice basic recipe. Not a whole lot of flavor though. We had to doctor it with more salt, red pepper and garlic powder. I would recommend cooking the orzo in chicken stock. I also added tomatoes.

Definitely a favorite side dish. Usually I leave out the chicken and serve it as a side.

This was pretty good. I would rate it a 3.5. Simple flavors that was nice and mild.

This was great! My fiance loved this dish. I added a few more veggies to use up some that were going south. Thanks for this!

Very good!

Decent recipe, but definitely needed some changes. The first time I made it, it was quite bland. This time, I used arugula instead of spinach and cooked the orzo in low sodium chicken broth. It turned out MUCH more flavourful that way, and just as healthy.

Soooooooo yummy!!! And what's better than a yummy recipe? A recipe that is easy and fast!

I liked this because it is relatively healthy, cheap and easy to prepare, and called for simple ingredients. I read the reviews about it being bland so I made the following additions: I seasoned the chicken with italian seasoning, black pepper and garlic salt and let it sit a little prior to cooking, I added some white wine to the chicken and let it simmer before adding the orzo, and I added chopped roma tomatoes just before serving. When I make this again, I will cook the chicken in olive oil AND butter and season with cajun seasoning. I think that will liven it up a little more. But overall, this is a keeper and will be a regular at my house.

This is the ultimate tasty, healthy recipe. I use whole grain ozro that tastes exactly like regular orzo. I add mushrooms and shallots and adjust the red pepper to my taste (just a little more spicey). It's the perfect meal!

I added a little bit of chopped red bell pepper and green onions, think it could of used a touch of chicken broth to make it a little more moist and not so dry...other wise liked it a lot :) {also used frozen sugar peas instead of spinach}

Made this recipe yesterday for dinner and it was fantastic!! I cooked the orzo in chicken broth as others stated and didn't drain it...gave it a nice base for a sauce. I quadrupled the garlic (which I usually always do) and added mushrooms, a tomato, kale, red pepper and threw on some scallions at the end. I cooked the chicken first and took it off the pan and sauteed the veggies and since I didn't have any red pepper flakes I added cayenne to the veggies. Threw the ck in, then the orzo and voila! an awesome dinner!! Thanks for the recipe, can't wait to make it again!!

I didn't have any parsely so I did as another reviewer suggested and instead added rosemary and lemon juice and I cooked the orzo in chicken broth. The pasta came out delicious and I could not get enough of it. I underestimated how much spinach to put in and continued to add it to leftovers. The chicken, however, came out bland and rubbery. It didn't take on the flavors at all. Next time I'll add more vegetables and skip the chicken.

I thought this really lacked flavor. I feel like I threw in everything but the kitchen sink to make this taste better, but it just didn't work. I did use tomatoes instead of the spinach and that added a little bit more to the flavor. I probably wouldn't make this again, sorry!

this was very tasty. followed recipe exactly but at end of cooking i did add fresh lemon juice. with or without out the lemon juice it's just as tasty. it was not spicy at all.

This needed salt, but all in all a good meal. I would make it again

I added more garlic, spinach and parm cheese than what is called for. Grilled the chicken and some mushrooms, we thought it was pretty darn tasty and make for great lunch leftovers.

Quite good, the only change I made was using an extra clove of garlic. Great for a night in, simple and quick!

This was quite good! I didn't cut up the chicken, and I forgot to get the spinach at the store (I will def add next time). The red pepper adds a bit of zing which is good. I added tomatoes as previously suggested as well as italian herbs and mushrooms which was gave a good flavor. Had for lunch the next day and reheated wonderfully. My non-adventurous (orzo is new for him) boyfriend loved it!!

I enjoyed this recipe last night and it was very good, I had never had orzo before and found it to be light and yummy. As suggested I cooked in in chicken broth. The whole thing was yummy. The one thing I did differntly is I browned my chicken half way so it would have color took it out of the skillet then added my garlic/onions then threw the chicken back in with the orzo. Yummo! Try it you will like it.

We really enjoyed this. I cooked the orzo in chicken broth, which really gave it a lot of flavor. I've already made this more than once!

The recipe is good as is considering it is low calorie, but a bit bland. To add more flavor, I added sundried tomatoes. If you've never had sundried tomatoes, try them in this recipe. They are delicious and made this recipe 5 stars instead of 4!

It was o.K. Probably won't make it again...

I also cook the orzo in chicken broth. Throw in some cherry tomatoes at with the spinach for added flavor and color.

im not impressed with this recipe at all. I think it needs alot of altering. i am very particular on texture of food, and i did not enjoy how oily it was in mix with the pasta. I have never cooked with orzo before, so it didnt come out as al dente as i wanted it. But personally i think i am going to use rice. The chicken is REALLY good... i am just not a fan of the orzo and oil. It might be better if it is over rice, because the rice will soak up alot of the oil, vs the orzo kinda made it seem worse... i probably wont use THIS paricular recipe again, but might use some of the steps and build it into something else.

This was delicious! Even my kids loved it!

I jazzed it up with some extra seasoning and we thought it was good.

Very very easy and quick, I made this in about 15 minutes. it sounds like it would be boring, but it is delicious!

delicious dinner that's quick & easy

Delicious! This was really, really great. The flavors were light and refreshing. The only change I made was to deglaze the pan with a little white wine after cooking the chicken, which I think added a nice flavor. I think this would be great with a little lemon squeezed over top right before serving too. Very good. Thank you! :)

I boiled the orzo until al dente in water alongside a lot of salt, and a large clove of garlic (be sure to pull that after draining), after draining I melted about a tablespoon of butter with it. For the chicken I cooked the breasts whole, each side sprinkled with salt, pep, and garlic pwdr, first side with a bit of red pepper flakes... sauteed in a tablespoon of oil. Pulled them when they were almost done, let chill a sec and then diced. I added some diced onion and chopped garlic to the pan until brown and then a little butter and then the diced chicken with about a quarter cup(or enough to coat chicken and orzo) and let it all cook and blend for a few minutes. then i added the parsley... mixed it up... put into serving bowls and topped with the parm. Very good and very simple.. I will definitely keep this in mind for easy "please anyone" meals... my 8 year old asked for seconds! Next time I might go a little easier on the pepper flakes (and I may not have even used 1/4 tsp) but that is my only complaint!