An easy, flavorful orzo dish with slightly spicy Cajun seasonings, fresh baby spinach, green bell pepper, chopped tomatoes, and chicken. A small batch recipe that makes two servings of creamy Cajun chicken orzo, but can be multiplied as needed.
This Cajun Chicken Orzo is packed with flavor, provides a healthy dose of vegetables, and comes together in less than 30 minutes.
My recipes are mostly created as small batch recipes to make 2-3 servings. This one is no exception, as this makes about 3 cups of creamy Cajun Chicken Orzo. You can absolutely double or triple the recipe if you need, and there is a slider in the recipe card that you can adjust to fit your desired serving amount!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 small Shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 Roma Tomato, chopped
- 1 tbsp. Cajun Seasoning*
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup Dry Orzo
- 2 cups Baby Spinach, packed
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded or Chopped Chicken*
- 2 tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice (fresh)
- Salt + Pepper, to taste
*Look below for notes regarding these ingredients.
If you have any questions about the ingredients, feel free to email me so I can help. I also have a couple of notes about the Cajun Seasoning needed for this recipe. I made my own small batch Cajun spice blend with spices I had in my cabinet, but you could certainly buy a Cajun seasoning from the store instead!
Ingredient Notes
Cajun seasoning can vary by brand, so I recommend looking for a low-sodium blend if you’re using a premade Cajun seasoning from the store. (Try to avoid Creole seasoning, as it’s usually way too salty for this recipe.) In my Cajun Linguine recipe post, I’ve seen readers recommend the McCormick brand, which is easy to find!
Small Batch Homemade Cajun Seasoning
Chances are you’ve got everything you need to make your own Cajun seasoning at home. I love to make my own Cajun seasoning, so I’ve created a small batch recipe that makes a heaping tablespoon. It’s perfect for this creamy Cajun orzo! Mix the following ingredients to create your own small batch of Cajun seasoning:
- 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp. Oregano
- ¼ tsp. Cayenne
- ¼ tsp. Thyme
- ¼ tsp. Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp. White Pepper
Additional Ingredient Notes for the Cajun Orzo:
*On the note of shredded chicken, you can use rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken breast, or shredded chicken thighs. However, Shredded Chicken is totally optional. If you prefer a vegetarian version of this recipe, feel free to omit the chicken! Or for a pescatarian version, add sauteed shrimp or cooked salmon instead of chicken.
*Heavy Cream can be stirred in with the spinach for extra creaminess.
If you’re a big fan of Cajun seasoning, you HAVE to try this Cajun Linguine, too! It’s a small batch recipe for two, and the small batch Cajun spice blend would be absolutely perfect for it.
Now, let’s get down to it. If you’re cooking your own chicken instead of using leftover or rotisserie chicken, go ahead and do that first. I recommend chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and using a simple seasoning of salt and pepper on all sides of the chicken before cooking it. Set a pan over medium heat, then cook the chicken for a few minutes per side until totally cooked through (usually about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness). Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and cover with foil, then let it rest for about ten minutes before shredding or chopping it. Next we move onto the Cajun orzo pasta part. 🙂
Directions
How to Make Cajun Chicken Orzo with Spinach
- Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots, chopped green bell pepper, chopped tomato, and Cajun seasoning. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and two tablespoons of the chicken broth until everything is blended. Cook for two minutes.
- Stir in dry orzo and cook for one minute. Pour in remaining chicken broth, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then turn the heat beneath the pan up to medium-high. Cook the orzo, stirring often, until it has just a tiny bite to it (al dente), about 7-8 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the spinach until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, parmesan, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
See below for a full step-by-step guide on how to make this Cajun Chicken Orzo.
1. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add shallots, green bell pepper, chopped tomato, and cajun seasoning. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
2. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and two tablespoons of the chicken broth until everything is blended. Cook for two minutes.
3. Stir in dry orzo and cook for one minute.
4. Pour in remaining chicken broth, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then turn the heat beneath the pan up to medium-high. Cook the orzo, stirring often, until the orzo is tender, about 7-8 minutes, and most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Turn the heat beneath the pan to low and stir in the spinach until it has wilted into the orzo, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir in the chicken, parmesan, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot and enjoy! 🙂
RECIPE NOTE: Stir the orzo a lot while it’s cooking; it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan as it cooks in the chicken broth. I use a nonstick pan, but the orzo can still settle on the bottom of the pan and be a little stubborn. Just keep an eye on it!
If you are adventurous in the kitchen, you are MORE than welcomed to get creative with it, too! No green bell pepper? Use a red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, or yellow bell pepper instead. Instead of a roma tomato, a cup of cherry tomatoes will work! Just cut the cherry tomatoes into halves (or quarters if they’re larger) before cooking them. Have some zucchini? Toss it in along with the bell pepper and shallots! Corn? That would be delicious, too! There’s so many vegetables that would be happy to be a part of this recipe, so don’t be shy.
If you have any questions about which vegetables would work best and when to incorporate them into this recipe, shoot me an email and I’d be more than happy to help you! This is immediately one of our new favorite weeknight dinner ideas, and I really hope you love it, too!
More Small Batch Dinner Recipes that we love:
- Creamy Cajun Linguine for Two
- Tomato, Basil, and Bacon Pappardelle Pasta for Two
- Tomato + Goat Cheese Orzo with Fresh Herbs
- Baked Pesto Salmon
- Bacon, Cheddar, and Chicken Risotto for Two
If you make this Cajun Chicken Orzo and love it, I would love a rating and review in the comment section below! Be sure to snap a photo of your orzo and tag me on instagram @aflavorjournal and/or #aflavorjournal. And as always, feel free to email me with any questions you have!
Be sure to sign up for my newsletter below so you can get more small batch recipes delivered to your inbox! (Usually once a week, sometimes twice a month – lol.) Either way, it’s a gorgeous newsletter and I think you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
xx Sara
Cajun Chicken Orzo with Spinach
Ingredients
For Cajun Chicken Orzo:
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 small Shallot finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 Roma Tomato chopped
- 1 tbsp. Cajun Seasoning
- 2 cloves Garlic minced (about 1 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper optional
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup dry Orzo
- 2 cups packed Baby Spinach
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded or Chopped Chicken
- 2 tbsp. Grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice fresh
- Salt + Pepper
For Small Batch Cajun Seasoning:
- 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne
- 1/4 tsp. Dried Thyme
- 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp. White Pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add shallots, green bell pepper, chopped tomato, and cajun seasoning. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and two tablespoons of the chicken broth until everything is blended. Cook for two minutes.
- Stir in dry orzo and cook for one minute. Pour in remaining chicken broth, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then turn the heat beneath the pan up to medium-high. Cook the orzo, stirring often, until it has just a tiny bite to it (al dente), about 7-8 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the spinach until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, parmesan, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
I love me some orzo! This looks delicious, can’t wait to try it!
Yaaa!! I hope you love it! You have to let me know!
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe! Just tried this tonight and me and my husband love it! I didn’t have a shallot so I used 1/4 cup yellow onion. I also used a red bell pepper instead of green. And I added a little extra orzo and almost full 2 cups chicken broth and it turned out great!! Thanks again 😊
I’m SO glad you loved it, Chloe!! 😍 all is your substitutions are totally perfect – and sound delicious!! Thank you so much for trying it!!
I followed the directions as written and the orzo was hard at the end. I had to add a lot more chicken broth and cook it for longer. It came out delicious though!
I’m so glad you liked it, Charlotte!! And I SO appreciate the feedback, and am really happy you said something about that. I’m going to go back and retest this one, and change the way it’s written just in case someone else experiences that, too! But I’m glad you were able to add more broth and it came out great for you!! Thank you so much again!!