Butter Chicken but as an orzo recipe! This is the fusion dish I never knew I needed.
In February 2022, I created an Orzo Recipe Series on TikTok where I created 8 new orzo recipes during the month of February. It was definitely a fan favorite! In honor of the 1 year anniversary of this series, I am creating a February Orzo Series Part 2!
Butter Chicken Orzo Recipe Details
This recipe is the third dish in my new orzo series. Creating recipes that combine flavors from different countries and putting a twist on classic dishes is one of my favorite parts of cooking. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because I find chicken thighs more flavorful and much harder to overcook.
The key to this dish is creating a SUPER flavorful homemade spice blend. Here are the ingredients I used:
- 1.5 tbsp Garam Masala
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 3/4 tsp Cumin
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne adjust to spice preference
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Coriander
Did you try this Butter Chicken Orzo? Leave a Review!
If you’re a fan of Butter Chicken then you NEED to try this Butter Chicken Orzo. If you haven’t tried Butter Chicken, then what are you waiting for?! Try this orzo recipe!
If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!
Make sure to check out my other recipes from My February Orzo Series Part 2:
Butter Chicken Orzo
Equipment
- Large Bowl I like using a Pyrex Glass Bowl with a lid for marinating
Ingredients
Spice Mix
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs cut into bite-size pieces; or chicken breast
- 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt I used 0% fat
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Garlic grated
- 1 tbsp Ginger grated
Orzo
- 4 tbsp Butter divided
- 1 tbsp Garlic grated
- 1 tbsp Ginger grated
- 1 cup Orzo uncooked
- 24 oz Tomato Purée
- 1-2 cups Water adjust as needed
- 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream additional to drizzle while serving
- 1/4 cup Cilantro roughly chopped to serve
- Lemon Juice to serve
Instructions
Spice Mix
- Combine all spice mix ingredients in a small bowl.
Chicken
- In a large bowl, combine the cut pieces of chicken, yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tbsp grated garlic, 1 tbsp grated ginger, and about 2 tbsp of spice mix.
- Combine ingredients well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
- After marinating, place an oven rack as high as possible and preheat the broiler.
- Place the chicken pieces on a baking sheet in an even layer, shaking off excess marinade. Broil for about 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. You should see some brown charred bits.
Orzo
- In a large high-rimmed sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of grated garlic and 1 tbsp of grated ginger. Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds. Add about 1 tsp of the spice mix. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the uncooked orzo and stir to combine. Toast for a minute.
- Pour in the tomato purée and about 1 cup of water. Add salt, sugar, and the remaining spice mix. Stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Bring to a boil then turn the heat to low to simmer. Stir often so the orzo doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. It should take 15-20 minutes for the orzo to cook through. Add water as needed if the sauce is too thick or the liquid is absorbing too quickly. I ended up adding about 1 more cup of water. The orzo should be pretty saucy, but fairly thick.
- Once the orzo is cooked, add the broiled chicken. Stir to combine.
- Turn off the heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and heavy cream. Stir until butter is melted and the cream is completely combined.
- Divide among bowls and serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice, a small drizzle of heavy cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro as desired.
Video
@carolbeecooks February Orzo Series (pt 2): Butter Chicken Orzo The mashup you never knew you needed! #orzo #orzotok #butterchicken #indian
♬ Slide – Calvin Harris / Frank Ocean / Migos
February 10, 2023 at 12:56 amMade it tonight. SO GOOD.
February 11, 2023 at 3:31 amThanks so much for trying out this recipe and leaving a review! I’m glad you enjoyed it!