Chicken risoni (orzo) in a creamy tomato parmesan sauce with spinach and nutty chickpeas, juicy pan-seared chicken breast, and crispy salami pieces makes a hearty one-pot supper. Dish description is extensive. Creating is not!
One-pan chicken creamy tomato risoni with crispy salami (orzo).
Creamy tomato chicken risoni with crunchy salami on one pan
Since I had a stick of salami in the fridge, I made this meal. I bought chicken, baby spinach, and risoni at the shop, but that’s not the purpose! She assertively states 😂
My point is that salami is often disregarded in cooking, therefore I decided to include it in a supper. It’s salty, fries crispy, and improves everything, like bacon and chorizo. Bonus: unlike bacon, it doesn’t spew flaming fat on your arms when cooked.
Crunchy salami
Today’s recipe began with salami. The meal culminated with risoni in a creamy tomato-parmesan sauce with spinach, nutty chickpeas, and juicy slices of seasoned chicken.
Very cozy, simple, tasty, and a crowd-pleaser that everyone will adore.
Ingredients for One Pan Chicken Risoni
Here’s all you need for chicken risoni today.
Chicken creamy tomato risoni with crispy salami (orzo) on one pan.
This spice blend gives the chicken a savory taste and a warm red color. Leave out sage if you don’t have it. Although not a pantry staple for many, my handmade pig sausage patties may be found in dark corners of your cupboard. 🙂 (Or homemade Sausage and Egg McMuffins, pork spice mix, or chicken burger.)
TOMATO CREAM RISONI
The star ingredient is salami, which we fry till golden and crispy then use the grease to cook the chicken and risoni sauce. Win, win!
I chopped a salami stick into chunky batons. Fried crispy with a beefy bite. Pre-sliced salami works, but the thinner pieces are crispier and have more volume. Not terrible, and convenient since you don’t have to peel the salami’s wrapper and half the cutting is done. Replace with streaky bacon or chorizo. Similar fry-up and eating capabilities!
Risoni, orzo, little rice-shaped pasta. Find it in pasta aisle. I enjoy it because it cooks fast, fits in one-pot recipes better than bigger pastas, and doesn’t need to be rested like rice. Use 250g/8oz, half a 500g/1lb package. Use the other half in these risoni/orzo recipes!
Chickpeas—I included these on a whim for texture and flavor. It has greater nutritional content than risoni pasta (fiber, protein, low GI), and is easy to open, so why not? 🙂 Use alternative beans or leave them out.
The risoni cooking liquid is chicken stock/broth, else the sauce is bland. Vegetable stock works too. I use store-bought, but homemade chicken or veggie stock makes me proud!
We add 3/4 cup of cream at the end for a creamy touch. Use low-fat cream or evaporated milk as the risoni’s starch thickens the sauce.
- Parmesan provides savory taste to the sauce. It’s not corny.
- Stir with baby spinach or kale toward the end. Our veggie limit!
- Garlic and onion—Aromatic foundation.
- Here are optional things to add to the recipe if available. Avoid special shopping trips. See explanation below!
Chicken creamy tomato risoni with crispy salami (orzo) on one pan.
A few limp basil stems, an aged jar of sun-dried tomatoes, and wine (which was always going to be used up) were added to this risoni the first time I prepared it. Wine to deglaze the pan, sun-dried tomatoes in the risoni, and basil to sprinkle.
I skipped them the second time and still had a fantastic dinner.
Although they enhance the meal, I consider them optional. Avoid buying them specifically. Use them if you have them!
How to make one-pan chicken risoni
Warning: I have cooked salami before and will again! Maybe you’ll be hooked after one try.
How to make One-pan chicken creamy tomato risoni with crispy salami (orzo).
Season chicken – Cut each breast in half horizontally for 4 thin steaks. Thinner = even cooking (no dry band). Sprinkle spice mix on bird sides after mixing.
Start by frying salami until crispy and golden. This takes 2–3 minutes on medium-high heat. Leave salami fat in the pan and transfer to a paper towel-lined basin. Free-flavored chicken will be cooked using this!
To prepare risoni, use a pan at least 26cm/10.5″ wide to accommodate the liquid. A 30cm/12″ non-stick pan with a 7cm/2.8″ depth is used. Here’s my Pyrolux (Australian retailer, not affiliate link). Due of its lid, I enjoy it.
Sear chicken for 3 minutes on each side in the same pan until brown and cooked through. Internal temperature should be 67°C/153°F. Resting raises it to 71°C/160°F. Keep the chicken warm on a platter with loose foil.
Sauté and deglaze the onion and garlic in the same pan (one-pot cooking). Deglaze the pan with white wine (optional) and boil quickly until nearly gone.
*This means dissolving the wonderful gold pieces on the pan base from searing the chicken and salami in wine. Free flavor will make our sauce tastier!
Add everything else—Cook the tomato paste for 1 minute to remove its raw sourness. Stir risoni in tomato paste, add stock, chickpeas, salt, and pepper.
Cook 8 minutes – Simmer and stir every minute until the risoni is almost done. Start with the burner on medium-high to simmer liquid. To avoid base catching, decrease the heat to medium as the stock is absorbed and the mixture thickens. If your mixture is thick, don’t worry—the cream will thin it.
After wilting spinach, add cream, parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir spinach to wilt. The risoni should remain oozy.
Cut chicken into thick pieces for serving. Put risoni in bowls, add chicken, crispy salami, additional parmesan, and basil (if using). Then dig!
It may also be served help-yourself on a large platter: risoni with chicken, salami, parmesan, and basil.
- Chicken and chickpea risoni with tomato cream
- One-pan chicken creamy tomato risoni with crispy salami (orzo).
Yum. I adore such recipes. Just something I threw up on the spot, maybe with uncommon components (salami + risoni + chickpeas?).It simply works. Simple to create. It’s excellent and everyone likes it!
I hope you try. Do tell me what you think!
PS Maybe not everyone. Not low-carb or gluten-free. No vegetarians, vegans, low-gi, or lactose-free eaters. Using the phrase “this is the food non-dieters without food allergies love!” is less appealing. 😂
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