This Chicken Sausage, Broccoli, and Orzo Skillet is packed with protein, veggies, and lots of flavor. Enjoy this healthy comfort food dinner that can easily be made on a busy weeknight in just 30 minutes!
Let’s face it, we’re all busy during the dinner rush. Getting healthy meals on the table can be a challenge unless you have easy one-pan dinners like this chicken sausage dish that gets cooked up all in one skillet, saving you precious time and energy!
As a busy mom, it’s important for me to strike a balance between healthy food and something my family will actually eat. This meal strikes that balance perfectly. With its combination of lean protein from chicken sausage, nutrient-rich broccoli, and hearty orzo pasta seasoned with garlic parmesan, it’s flavorful, nutrient-dense, and easy to make. Get out a large skillet. Then, brown the sausage, add broccoli, garlic, and orzo, then pour in chicken broth and simmer until the orzo is tender. Stir in parmesan cheese, and dinner’s ready. Serve with a side of Roasted Ranch Carrots for extra veggies or Homemade Rolls for a well-rounded meal.
And if you love quick and easy dinner recipes, you’ll definitely want to try my Skillet Tomato Chicken, One Pan Lasagna Skillet, or classic Chicken Enchiladas for your next busy day!
One pan dinner: You just need one skillet to make this entire dish. The orzo pasta cooks right in with the other ingredients, so there’s no need to boil it separately.
30 minutes: From start to finish, a healthy dinner is on the table in half an hour. Perfect for a family with a busy lifestyle.
Winning flavors: The savory flavor of chicken and broccoli mixed with garlic parmesan is a winning combination for kids and adults.
Versatile: You can easily swap out the type of protein, vegetables, and even the type of pasta used to make this dish match what you prefer or what you have on hand to help clear out your fridge and pantry.
Olive Oil – A large drizzle of olive oil helps get the dish going by creating a sear on the chicken sausage, which helps bring out the flavor. You can also use other cooking oils with a neutral flavor, like avocado oil.
Chicken Sausage – The beauty of using chicken sausage for dinner is that it’s already cooked and flavored. No need to take extra steps to add delicious protein to a meal.
Seasonings – A mix of salt, pepper, and minced garlic help to balance out the flavors of the dish and naturally enhance the ingredients.
Orzo Pasta – This small rice-sized pasta cooks quickly and adds satisfying bulk to the dish while soaking up all the flavors.
Chicken Broth – This liquid base absorbs into the orzo while adding a rich and savory chicken flavor throughout the dish.
Shredded Parmesan – Adds a rich, nutty, cheesy, sharp flavor throughout the ingredients to add depth and a nice finishing touch.
Sear the chicken sausage: Add you olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is shiny and hot, add in the sliced chicken sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes before flipping and cooking until nice and golden brown on both sides.
Cook the broccoli: Add the chopped broccoli to the pan with the oil and sausage. Season with salt and pepper and continue to saute until the broccoli turns green and softens a bit.
Cook the orzo: Add the orzo to the pot dry along with the garlic. Saute a bit, toasting the pasta before adding the chicken broth. Stir together and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the skillet, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the orzo is soft and tender.
Garnish and serve: Uncover and add the parmesan to the skillet. Stir to combine and plate while hot. Sprinkle with a garnish of additional Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Use a large skillet with deep sizes, as the entire meal will be cooked inside. The skillet needs to be large enough to allow the orzo pasta to expand once it cooks.
Slice the chicken sausage into even pieces to make sure it’s uniform throughout the meal.
Before adding the sausage, make sure the oil is hot and shiny to get the best brown sear on both sides.
Toasting the orzo pasta with the garlic helps bring out a nutty flavor that pairs well with the rest of the ingredients.
If needed, stir the dish while it simmers to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
Cook until the pasta is slightly undercooked or al dente to prevent it from getting soggy and mushy, as it will continue to cook for a few minutes off the heat.
Proteins: Instead of chicken sausage, use chicken breast, chicken thighs, steak, shrimp, or pork.
Pasta: Switch up the pasta by using other shapes like rotini, bowties, elbow macaroni, penne, or fusilli.
Vegetables: Instead of broccoli, feel free to use other veggies you may have on hand, like bell peppers, cauliflower, peas, carrots, or asparagus
Seasonings: Add freshly chopped herbs to the mixture like thyme or oregano, or add a kick of heat by sprinkling in some red pepper flake. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning blends.
Vegetarian: Instead of using chicken sausage, use cooked tofu crumbles, seitan, or a can of chickpeas for extra protein. Swap out the chicken broth for veggie broth or water.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: To freeze the dish, transfer cooled leftovers into a freezer-safe container or resealable bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating: Thaw frozen skillet meal overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through adding a splash of chicken broth as needed.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes! Add it to the skillet following the same instructions as fresh broccoli, adjusting the cooking time slightly as needed since it’s already cooked.
How can I make this gluten-free?
To make this dish gluten-free, substitute the orzo pasta with a gluten-free alternative such as rice or quinoa or a gluten-free pasta. Make sure that all other ingredients, including the chicken broth and seasonings, are also made without gluten.
Can I use different types of sausage?
Yes, whether it’s pork, turkey, or even plant-based sausage, any can be used. Adjust the cooking time as needed based on the type of sausage you choose and make sure it’s fully cooked before making the recipe.
Can I make this ahead of time for meal prep?
This chicken skillet dinner is perfect for meal prepping! Cook the dish according to the recipe instructions, allow it to cool completely, then portion it into individual containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, and when ready to eat, reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through.
Easy, one pan meal with Chicken Sausage, Broccoli and Orzo. Topped off with parmesan cheese all mixed in and melty. Easy and quick.
Large drizzle of olive oil
8 ounces Chicken Sausage, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 slices
2–3 cups broccoli, roughly chopped
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup Orzo pasta
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1. In a large skillet on med/high heat, drizzle a good amount of olive oil in the pan. Once hot, add the sliced chicken sausage. Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes then flip each slice and cook on the other side and cook another minute or so to get each side browned.
2. Now add the broccoli to the pan and season with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and slightly soft.
3. Then add the garlic and orzo and then stir everything together. Heat everything for another minute.
4. Add the chicken broth and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then turn the heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for another 10-5 minutes until orzo is soft.
5. Once all the liquid is absorbed, add the parmesan cheese and stir together. Serve immediately and sprinkle more parmesan cheese over if desired. Enjoy!
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6 Responses
Delicious, super quick and easy. My family devours anything with sausage in it. I subbed beef sausage and added the 12oz package.
Great idea! We love a beef sausage too! I’m so happy you liked it!
Thank you for including me!
This was so good! And so easy! I made it for dinner last night and both my husband and I loved it. I used a package of Sweet Italian chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s. And I only coked the broccoli for about a minute before adding in the garlic and orzo. It softened up plenty during the rest of the cooking time (which was about 9-10 min until the orzo was done and the liquid gone). Will save this recipe to my favorites board on Pinterest!
I am so happy you liked it, thank you so much! We love this one around here too, so easy and good!