One Pan Chicken Meatballs and Creamy Orzo

Nothing says comfort food like a meatball or a cheesy, creamy sauce so I am merging both into one, simple, one pan recipe. And this one pan chicken meatballs and creamy orzo is comfort food that you can dress up or dress down. For some reason, orzo makes things look kind of fancy. Probably because it’s little bit like a faux risotto. So this easy to make and easy to clean up meal works for guests or a quick weeknight dinner.

When I made this, I was trying out my new Kenwood MultiOne Mixer. I am not a huge fan of kitchen appliances for every recipe, but I finally caved and purchased this mixer and I am so glad I did. It really does everything! And for this specific recipe, I actually ground the chicken thighs for the meatballs. I have mentioned this before, but ground meats have been something I haven’t been able to find in the UAE. So be on the lookout for more meatball recipes!

Packaged ground chicken will work just as well for these chicken meatballs with creamy orzo and cut the prep time down even further. Combining the chicken meatballs with this delicious creamy, sauce with leeks and mushrooms is so comforting and so filling, it really is the perfect thing to cook when you want that curing feeling. So try this recipe next time you are craving comfort and not craving doing dishes and let me know what you think!

Serves 4 -6

Suggested Wine Pairing:

An unoaked chardonnay pairs well with the meatballs and cheese. Highly recommend Iron Horse Unoaked Chardonnay!

Kitchen tools:

You will need a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet. Multi-mixer optional!

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground chicken, preferably ground thighs or 85% lean

14 ounces of orzo

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cloves of garlic, minced

8 ounces of mushrooms, diced

1 leek, sliced

1 tablespoon of butter

1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

1 inch or so of the rind from parmesan cheese

1 cup of water

1&1/2 cup of cooking cream or half and half

1 cup of mozzarella

And of course, parsley for the pretty

Instructions:

1. To make the meatballs, combine the ground chicken with 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Form into meatballs with your hands or with an ice cream scoop.
2. Add the olive oil to your skillet over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides. This should take about 5 minutes per side, including a quick stint on their sides. Once they are browned they should be 90% cooked through. Removed the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
3. To the same pan add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any of the brown bits and add the butter. Once the butter has melted add the leaks, mushrooms, and parmesan rind to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
4. After about 5 minutes or until the leeks have softened, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute before stirring in the orzo. Add the water and the cooking cream with a bit more salt. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low.
5. Cook for about 5 minutes and add more water if the sauce gets too stiff. Add the meatballs back into the pan and stir to cover with the sauce. Add the mozzarella and the rest of the parmesan over the top and cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil for 5 more minutes or until the cheese has melted.
6. Divide chicken meatballs with creamy orzo into bowls to serve and top with parsley.

If you like this, try my chicken and ricotta meatballs with a creamy tomato sauce.