My Chicken and Shrimp Orzo Paella could be on your dinner table tonight. It’s easy to make, healthy and delicious! So what are you waiting for?
The combination of these flavors with a subtle hint of saffron, the smokiness of the paprika, and the hint of oregano add a lot to this dish. And the holy trinity of veggies, onions, peppers, and celery paired with garlic and tomatoes make it even more delicious!
What Ingredients do you need to make Orzo Paella?
Let’s start by gathering our ingredients for my Shrimp and Chicken Orzo Paella. In chef speak this is called the mise en place. All you need is a few ingredients and you’re ready to get cooking. I did add clams to my version and forgot to add them to this pic, but they are optional.
How do I cook Orzo Paella?
You can personalize this dish using just chicken and adding sausage. Including more seafood as I did with the clams is also a good option. You can also substitute the Orzo with Whole Wheat Orzo, white or Brown Rice or any of your favorite grains.
I hope you enjoyed this not so classical orzo paella recipe. It’s one of my Restaurant Style Dishes that you can prepare faster than picking up takeout in your own home tonight at a fraction of the cost of dining out at your favorite restaurant.
What is Orzo?
My friends are always asking me what is Orzo? Orzo (also known as risoni) is a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice. In Italian orzo literally translates to barley.
Here are some other recipes you may like:
Chicken and Shrimp Orzo Paella
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- olive oil for saute
- 8 jumbo gulf shrimp peeled and deveined
- 12 small clams washed littlenecks or pasta clams, optional
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 4 stalks of celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 ½ cups orzo or whole wheat orzo
- 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes in juice organic
- 1 cup chicken broth
- pinch of saffron threads
- 2 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- mix flour with smoked paprika, oregano, sea salt and black pepper
- dredge chicken thighs in seasoning mix coating both sides fully
- heat pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil
- saute chicken thighs in pan 2 minutes per side to get good color
- remove chicken from pan and add additional olive oil
- add peppers, onions, celery and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes
- add shrimp into the veggie mixture for a minute to cook partially then remove shrimp from the pan
- add orzo, tomatoes, chicken stock and saffron and mix well cook for 2 minutes stirring well so orzo doesn’t stick
- add chicken thighs and clams on top of the mixture, turn the heat down to low and allow to cook fully (10 minutes)
- at about 7 minutes into the cooking add shrimp to the pan and replace the lid
- stir the mixture together as needed to ensure the orzo doesn't stick to the pan
- Plate up your masterpiece and serve
- *make sure not to have the heat too high
Holly
Oh, this looks super yummy. I will definitely have to try this. I love trying new recipes!!
Crystal Mendez
I always wondered what orzo was. I ate it anyway because it’s good! This recipe looks delicious!
Rachel
I have never made any type of orzo. I think it makes dishes look so fancy.
Flossie McCowald
I will have to share this recipe with my husband! He loves making paella but I don’t do shrimp, so he and the girls will love having this some night when I’m out of town!
Cassie
This looks so beautiful, I’ve never had paella before! I also appreciate that you noted that substitutions are okay. This is great especially for someone like me with food allergies.
Wendy
I love paella! and yours look so gorgeously delicious! I’d try that.
Jessica Hughes
I love a good paella and the more seafood the better. The spice combination in this recipe sounds magnificent and the orzo is a great touch.
Ria Parikh
Great dish and pictures subsequently!
Stephanie
This looks delicious! I love orzo but only have a few recipes with it and always looking to expand.
GiGi Eats
Oh wow this sounds amazing! I want to try and make it with cauliflower rice!
Patricia Chamberlain
What a great looking dish! I love orzo! I will save this for later.
Kate Loves Travel
This sounds like a great dish – I absolutely love paella… I could so eat this right now!
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
I love this combination of ingredients in this dish. I am sure the flavor of this dish is amazing.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you Dawn!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
What a great quick paella. Love the orzo touch!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you Abbe!
minnie@thelady8home
It’s like cooking a pulao, with a different set of spices…..and equally gorgeous. This looks terrific Chef! Bookmarked.
Chef Dennis Littley
Glad you like it Minnie! I’ve never tried Pulao, I’ll have to look for it.