Made entirely in one pot and packed full of colorful ingredients, this chicken sausage orzo features tender orzo cooked with roasted red peppers, wilted spinach, and flavorful chicken sausage bits.

You’ve got a date with some one pot magic today! Which everyone knows is the best kind of dinner situation there is.
Today’s one pot deal is nothing fancy, but boy if it doesn’t tick all the dinner boxes. We’ve got juicy sausage bits, roasted red peppers, plenty of spinach for you to get your greens in, a mess of tender orzo, and all the grated Parmesan you can fit piled on top.
And it’s all ready in 30 minutes all in one pot, mind you. Dinner = permanently sorted.

This One Pot Orzo features…
- Tender orzo simmered in flavorful chicken broth
- Sweet roasted red peppers and tender wilted spinach
- Lots of grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley
- Ready in only 30 minutes in 1 pot

Making the One Pot Orzo
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Olive oil
- Italian chicken sausage
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Orzo
- Chicken broth
- Roasted red peppers
- Spinach
- Parmesan cheese
- Parsley

Tips for Perfect One Pot Orzo
- Brown sausage – break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces during browning.
- Sauté aromatics – shallot and garlic serve as the flavor base for this orzo.
- Toast orzo – toast the orzo alongside the shallot and garlic until a light golden brown.
- Simmer orzo in chicken broth – an 8-10 minute simmer time on medium-low will tenderize the orzo perfectly. Make sure you stir the orzo frequently during this step so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Add roasted red peppers and spinach after cooking – adding these ingredients after the orzo has simmered will keep them from getting overcooked.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this orzo.
- Make it vegetarian – skip the chicken sausage and replace with a vegetable. You can also replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Add additional veggies – try folding in sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, sweet corn, kale, or peas.
- Use sausage links – if you can’t find ground sausage, cut chicken sausage links into thin slices.
- Use a different meat – you can use traditional Italian sausage, bacon, cubed chicken, or turkey in place of the chicken sausage.
Reheating Instructions
This orzo reheats wonderfully which makes it fantastic for meal prepping. Reheat individual leftovers in microwave on high 2-3 minutes until heated through.

With how easy and fast this orzo is to pull together you sure wouldn’t expect it to pack as much flavor as it does! Every bite is bursting with sweet roasted red pepper pieces, nutty Parmesan, flavorful sausage bits, and tender orzo.
Trust me, this one needs a spot on the permanent dinner rotation and asap!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Try these other favorite one pot recipes next!
One Pot Chicken Sausage Orzo
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground Italian chicken sausage
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb dry orzo
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 jar (16 oz) roasted red peppers, drained and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 2 cups firmly-packed baby spinach
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken sausage and shallot and allow to cook 4-6 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink.
- Add garlic and orzo to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes until orzo is slightly toasted. Pour chicken broth into pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits.
- Bring orzo to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer 8-10 minutes until orzo is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently.
- Remove orzo from heat and fold in roasted red peppers, spinach, Parmesan, and parsley until spinach is wilted.
- Season orzo with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm. Enjoy!
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