Marry Me Chickpeas and Orzo
This Marry Me Chickpeas and Orzo is made with tender chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, Parmesan, and a rich, creamy sauce all baked together in one dish. The chickpeas and spinach add plenty of protein and fiber. An easy baked dinner recipe for busy weeknights.
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This is such a good recipe for a cozy weeknight dinner when you want something filling without spending a lot of time at the stove. I also love serving it for a casual family dinner or when friends come over.
And for more Marry Me Chicken recipes, the recipes below are worth trying:
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 1 medium/150g red onion, sliced
- 3 cloves/15g garlic, minced
- 8 oz/225g dry orzo
- 1/2 cup/50g sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 2/3 cup/280g cooked chickpeas beans, drained (one 14 oz can)
- 3 cups/710ml broth
- 1 cup/235ml cream
- 1 tsp/6g salt
- 1 tsp/2g sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp/1g red pepper flakes
- 4 cups/120g fresh spinach (chopped if large leaves)
- 1/2 cup/50g grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp/30ml lemon juice
- 2 tsp/4g lemon zest
- ¼ cup/7g chopped fresh parsley
- fresh ground pepper, fresh parsley, parmesan (for toppings)
How to Make Marry Me Chickpeas and Orzo
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 °F/190 C.
Mince garlic. Thinly slice the onion into quarter circles. Thinly slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Wash and chop the parsley. Wash and chop the spinach as needed.
Step 2: In a large baking dish, combine the orzo, sliced onion, garlic, and chickpeas.
Step 3: Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes.
Toss to distribute everything.
Step 4: Add the broth and cream. Stir until well distributed.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir everything to break up any orzo that has clumped.
Step 5: Add in the spinach, lemon juice, and parmesan. Stir to distribute everything.
Return to the oven uncovered for 10-12 minutes until orzo is tender and spinach is cooked.
Step 6: Stir in the lemon zest and chopped parsley.
Serve immediately garnished with more chopped parsley, parmesan, or fresh ground black pepper.
Important Recipe Notes
- Use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes. If you only have oil-packed tomatoes, drain them very well before adding them.
- Don’t skip the lemon: The lemon juice and zest help balance the rich, creamy sauce and bring a fresh flavor to the dish.
- Stir after baking: The orzo can clump together as it bakes, so give everything a good stir when you remove the foil.
- Add the spinach near the end: Adding the spinach later keeps it from becoming overly soft and helps it blend nicely into the creamy orzo.
- Since oven temperatures and baking dishes can vary, check the orzo before serving and bake a few extra minutes if needed.
Marry Me Chickpeas and Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 medium/150g red onion sliced
- 3 cloves/15g garlic minced
- 8 oz/225g dry orzo
- 1/2 cup/50g sliced sun-dried tomatoes
- 12/3 cup/280g cooked chickpeas beans drained (one 14 oz can)
- 3 cups/710ml broth
- 1 cup/235ml cream
- 1 tsp/6g salt
- 1 tsp/2g sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp/1g red pepper flakes
- 4 cups/120g fresh spinach chopped if large leaves
- 1/2 cup/50g grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp/30ml lemon juice
- 2 tsp/4g lemon zest
- ¼ cup/7g chopped fresh parsley
- fresh ground pepper, fresh parsley, parmesan (for toppings)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F/190 C.
- Mince garlic. Thinly slice the onion into quarter circles. Thinly slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Wash and chop the parsley. Wash and chop the spinach as needed.
- In a large baking dish, combine the orzo, sliced onion, garlic, and chickpeas.
- Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Toss to distribute everything.
- Add the broth and cream. Stir until well distributed.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and stir everything to break up any orzo that has clumped.
- Add in the spinach, lemon juice, and parmesan. Stir to distribute everything.
- Return to the oven uncovered for 10-12 minutes until orzo is tender and spinach is cooked.
- Stir in the lemon zest and chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately garnished with more chopped parsley, parmesan, or fresh ground black pepper.
