Cajun Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet

Cajun Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet is a 30-minute one-pan meal that’s cozy and comforting. Made with smoky chicken sausage, peppers and garlic, orzo pasta, fresh spinach, and finished with creamy coconut milk. A complete dinner the whole family with love.

What You’ll Love About Cajun Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet:

If you love the convenience of one-skillet meals like I do, this Cajun Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet dinner is for you. This supper has all you need for a delicious and healthy dinner and it all happens in one large skillet.

This recipe definitely has those jambalaya vibes with the Andouille chicken sausage and Cajun seasoning. It gives this dish incredible warmth but not too spicy. We use orzo pasta which has a rice like texture, peppers and garlic for flavor, and finish with spinach and creamy coconut milk. Truly a comforting meal that warms the soul.

One of my favorite ingredients to use for flavor and convivence is chicken or turkey sausage. Try my Chicken Apple Sausage Sheet Pan Meal or Pierogi and Smoked Sausage Skillet Meal for your next delicious weeknight dinner.

Simple Ingredients:

• Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage– I like to use the al fresco brand for a better quality sausage.
• Oil & Butter– I use a combination of both oil and butter for added flavor.
• Veggies– Red bell peppers, garlic, and fresh spinach
• Orzo pasta– Orzo is a great pasta to use in a skillet meal. It’s cooks quickly and resembles the texture of rice.
• Seasonings- Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper
• Chicken broth– Use a good quality chicken broth like better than bouillon roasted chicken.
• Coconut milk– I use full-fat coconut milk or you can also use heavy cream.

How To Make Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet:

See full instructions in recipe card below

Step One. Heat a large non-stick skillet with a fitted lid to medium heat and add oil and butter. When the butter is melted add in chicken sausage slices and cook until browned.. Stir in bell peppers and garlic, and sauté veggies for 3-4 minutes.

Step Two. Add orzo pasta and seasonings. You’ll want to toast the orzo for 1-2 minutes stirring often. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a medium boil. Place the lid on and cook 7-8 minutes stirring one or two times in-between. The pasta should be al dente.

Step Three. Next, stir in spinach and coconut milk until everything is well combined and creamy. When the spinach is wilted, taste for seasonings and serve.

Recipe Tip:

Common Questions:

Other Skillet Meals You Might Enjoy:

• One-Skillet Mediterranean Chicken and Pasta
• One-Pan Cheeseburger Pasta
• Ground Beef and Broccoli Ramen
• Skillet Beef and Cheese Lasagna

Cajun Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet

Cajun Chicken Sausage Orzo Skillet is a 30-minute one-pan meal that’s cozy and comforting. Made with smoky chicken sausage, peppers and garlic, orzo pasta, fresh spinach, and finished with creamy coconut milk. A complete dinner the whole family with love.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 266kcal

Equipment

• 1 large skillet with fitted lid

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 (11) oz pkg smoked andouille chicken sausage, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
• 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 3 cups chicken broth plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk or use heavy cream
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat a large non-stick skillet with a fitted lid to medium heat and add oil and butter. When the butter is melted add in chicken sausage slices and cook until browned, about 5-minutes. Stir in bell peppers and garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
• Add orzo pasta and Cajun seasoning. You’ll want to toast the orzo for 1-2 minutes stirring often. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a medium boil. Place the lid on and turn the heat down to low. Cook 7-8 minutes stirring one or two times in-between. The pasta should be al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add a splash of chicken broth if needed to finish cooking the pasta.
• Next, stir in spinach and coconut milk until everything is well combined and creamy. When the spinach is wilted, season with salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

Tip:

• If your orzo is not quite cooked yet and you don’t see any more liquid, add a splash of chicken broth to finish cooking it.

 

Common Questions:

 

Can I use other pasta shapes?

Ditalini pasta would be the closest in size and would work for this recipe. If using a larger pasta you will need to adjust the liquid measurements. 

Is this skillet meal spicy?

You can make this dish as mild or as spicy as you like. I only use a little Cajun seasoning for a touch of heat.

Is orzo pasta healthier then traditional pasta like spaghetti?

Orzo is made with similar ingredients as most pasta shapes. The only difference would be the size so it’s not necessarily healthier.

Can I freeze the leftovers?

It is not recommended to freeze this skillet meal as the texture of the pasta will change drastically.

 

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1111IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2mg

Note: Some of the links on my website are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra charge to you.