You know when you make a specific recipe, love it, and NEED to make it again? But, when you try to make it again the one grocery store you go to doesn’t have a major ingredient so you use what you have and expand on things? Well, that’s what happened with this pasta.

A few weeks ago, my sister, Jacob, and I made a birthday dinner for my mom. The dinner was made up of the salmon recipe I shared last week, green beans, and mushroom orzo.

The mushroom orzo was a HIT. It was the perfect savory, cheesy, addictive side for a great dinner. I absolutely LOVED it. So, naturally, I had to make it again. The crazy thing? The grocery store that I went to didn’t have any orzo!! Absolute insanity. So, I got a box of orecchiette and made the pasta into a main dish.

It was great, but I definitely would stick to orzo next time I make it.

Savory chicken and mushroom pasta

If you know me, you know I LOVE a good one-pot meal. I am not a big fan of doing dishes, especially when I don’t need to. With that being said, the key to this recipe is timing. We are cooking all of this at once in a single pot, so things need to go in at the right order to insure they’re properly cooked.

Another key to this recipe is the use of chicken (or veggie) broth instead of boiling the pasta in water. It adds a rich flavor, additional nutrients, and collagen (if you’re using bone broth). Also, the starches from the pasta help to thicken the sauce. It’s definitely not traditional, but it’s really good.

The Recipe

• 1 Qt (32 oz) of broth (chicken bone broth is best)
• 1/2 pound of chicken, diced
• 1 box/container of dried ORZO (truly, this recipe is way better with it)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 8ish mushrooms, sliced (use however many you want, really)
• 1/2 bunch of swiss chard (try to use this in season, you wouldn’t believe the flavor difference)
• 1/2 block of parmesan, fresh grated
• salt and pepper to taste

The Process

1. Use a medium/large sized pot for this recipe. Heat on medium heat and add olive oil.
2. Once hot, add chicken and onions. Cook until slightly browned, but still undercooked
3. Immediately add broth, orzo, and swiss chard. This may or may not fully over all of the pasta. If not, add a lid to trap condensation and assist in even cooking. Stir occasionally
4. Once the swiss chard is wilted and the orzo is nearing al dente (still chewy but not crunchy, about 10 minutes), add mushrooms and leave uncovered. Here, the goal is to allow for some of the water in the broth to boil off without allowing everything to overcook. Just watch the mixture, you’ll know when it’s time.
5. Once everything is cooked, add salt and pepper, then grate parmesan over the pasta until quite cheesy. I wouldn’t go quite mac-and-cheese level, but you definitely want to have the parmesan as a main flavor profile. Taste as you go.
6. Enjoy!

If You Want To Use This Pasta As A Side, Here’s a Simple Version

The Recipe

• 1 Qt (32 oz) of broth (chicken bone broth is best)
• 1/2 pound of chicken, diced
• 1 box/container of dried ORZO (truly, this recipe is way better with it)
• 1/2 block of parmesan, fresh grated
• salt and pepper to taste

The Process

1. Use a medium/large sized pan for this recipe, it’s actually easier with a shallow dish. Heat on medium heat and add olive oil.
2. Add broth and orzo to the pan. This may or may not fully over all of the pasta. Cover and stir occasionally
3. Once the orzo is nearing al dente (still chewy but not crunchy, about 10 minutes), add mushrooms. Here, the goal is to allow for some of the water in the broth to boil off without allowing everything to overcook. Just watch the mixture, you’ll know when it’s time.
4. Once everything is cooked, add salt and pepper, then grate parmesan over the pasta until quite cheesy. I wouldn’t go quite mac-and-cheese level, but you definitely want to have the parmesan as a main flavor profile. Taste as you go.
5. Enjoy!