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This one pot chicken bacon ranch orzo recipe is a weeknight delight with fewer dishes! It’s a family-friendly and easy, comforting meal with wonderful savory flavors.

You may also like my Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole, Bacon Ranch Tortellini, or Bacon Ranch Mashed Potatoes next.

a bowl of chicken bacon ranch orzo with a fork

Why you’ll love it

I’m no stranger to one pot orzo recipes, but I’m surprised I didn’t come up with this particular one earlier. This creamy orzo recipe with chicken is ready in 30 minutes, super simple, picky eater approved, and has just a handful of everyday ingredients.

The chicken-bacon-ranch combination is one I just can’t resist. Ranch seasoning is such a good way to add a punch of flavor to sauces, and bacon takes the delicious savory quality to the next level. Add in the convenience of rotisserie chicken, and it’s a winner!

What you’ll need

  • Bacon – the orzo gets infused with flavor from the bacon fat, and it’s awesome
  • Orzo – find this rice-shaped pasta in the dry pasta aisle
  • Chicken broth – bacon and ranch seasoning can be quite salty, so I opt for low-sodium chicken broth in this recipe
  • Heavy cream – it adds the best creamy texture and taste
  • Ranch seasoning – I’m a Hidden Valley devotee
  • Chicken – pick up a rotisserie chicken for ease
  • Spinach – for a pop of freshness
ingredients for chicken bacon ranch orzo in measuring cups and prep bowls

Pro tip

As with any one pot recipe, use your best judgment and adjust as needed. Stoves and cookware vary, and even altitude has an impact on cooking time! If it’s looking too liquidy, turn up the heat/leave it for longer to absorb the broth. Conversely, if it’s cooking too fast, simply add more broth or cream and/or turn down the heat.

How to make chicken bacon ranch orzo

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

frying bacon in a soup pot and adding orzo

Fry the bacon in a soup pot or Dutch oven until crispy. Leave the bacon in the pot, and don’t drain the fat. Add the orzo, and cook it for a minute or so while stirring continuously to lightly toast it.

adding in broth and cream to a pot of chicken bacon ranch orzo, then adding fresh spinach

Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Let it bubble, then add in the ranch seasoning. Cook, uncovered, stirring often until the orzo is cooked. Remove from the heat, and stir in the chicken and spinach. Cover until the chicken is warmed and the spinach has wilted.

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

Substitutions and variations

  • If you prefer, you could use a Homemade Ranch Seasoning blend.
  • You could definitely leave the spinach out if it’s not your thing.
  • I don’t recommend subbing the cream, but you may be able to get away with half-and-half. I haven’t tested this, though!

What to serve with bacon ranch orzo

Leftovers and storage

  • Store leftover orzo for 3-4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
  • Reheat in a saucepan or the microwave slowly over a low heat, and add a splash more chicken broth or cream if needed. Orzo does tend to soak up sauce, so I like to eat it within a couple of days.
  • I don’t recommend freezing it due to dairy, and cooked pasta can change texture.
closeup of a dutch oven with chicken bacon ranch orzo and a serving spoon

If you made this ranch chicken orzo with bacon, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. Or tag me on Instagram if you made this or any S&L recipe.

a bowl of chicken bacon ranch orzo with a fork
5 from 5 votes

Chicken Bacon Ranch Orzo

This one pot chicken bacon ranch orzo recipe is a weeknight delight with fewer dishes! It's a family-friendly and easy, comforting meal with wonderful savory flavors.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 6 strips bacon cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
  • 2 cups cooked shredded/rotisserie chicken
  • 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, for serving

Instructions 

  • Cut the bacon into small pieces (this is quick and easy with kitchen shears) and fry it in a Dutch oven/soup pot until crispy.
  • Add the orzo to the pot (don't drain the bacon grease, and leave the bacon in the pot). Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in the chicken broth and cream.
  • Once it starts bubbling, stir in the ranch seasoning, and continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often. You will likely need to turn the heat down a bit (to medium or even medium-low). It should gently bubble vs. furiously boil, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the pasta has cooked.
  • Take the pot off the stove, then stir in the chicken and spinach. Cover the pot for 3-5 minutes or until it has thickened up to your liking and the chicken has warmed through. The orzo will absorb the liquid quickly, so if it still seems like there's too much, just wait a little bit longer. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • Orzo is pasta. If you want to swap it with rice, you may have to adjust liquid measurements and cooking time.
  • Ranch seasoning and bacon can both be salty, so that’s why I recommend using low sodium chicken broth, and you may not need to add any extra salt to this recipe. You can make a homemade ranch seasoning if you need it to be even less salty. I use Hidden Valley Ranch. 
  • If the pasta is soaking up the liquid too fast (like before the orzo is cooked), turn the heat down and/or add a splash more chicken broth or cream. 

Nutrition

Calories: 629kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 618mg, Potassium: 551mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2322IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

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5 from 5 votes

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14 Comments

  1. Cathie says:

    This delivered as promised. Think next time I will add a little more to feed 4 adults and 1 child. Didn’t have heavy cream but half and half worked out. This will be on our monthly meal plan!

    1. Natasha says:

      Excellent! ๐Ÿ˜€

  2. Emalee says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! I followed the recipe but did add an extra 1 1/2 cup broth and 1/2 cream at the end and put it in a dish and topped with ritz crackers/butter mixture for more of a casserole feel! Also used vegan heavy cream and couldnโ€™t even tell a difference.

    1. Natasha says:

      Sounds good to me!!

  3. KTG says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and so quick and easy for a busy weeknight meal. My 15yo son devoured it (so I’m glad I doubled the recipe for leftovers tomorrow). I followed your recipe EXACTLY as written, and the seasoning was perfect.

    1. Natasha says:

      That’s wonderful!! ๐Ÿ˜€

  4. Lu says:

    I made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit! Delicious! I did use coconut milk because our toddler has a dairy allergy (I do this with a lot of your recipes that we share with her) I did drain the bacon fat because coconut milk can be quite fatty. Iโ€™m definitely will be making this one often. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Natasha says:

      You are very welcome, Lu! Glad it worked out! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Monica says:

    5 stars
    This is so perfect for those nights when you have stray amounts of groceries and you need something to throw together for a quick (and tasty!) meal. I had everything on hand except for spinach, but I did have a small crown of broccoli, so as an experiment (and borrowed concept from your cheesy chicken broccoli orzo recipe) I chopped that up and added that, plus an extra splash of broth and a pinch of salt. It probably altered the flavor a bit since broccoli does have a stronger taste than spinach, but it worked out rather well! Thank you so much for another great recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! ๐Ÿ˜€ You’re very welcome, and thanks for your review, Monica!

  6. Kayla P says:

    5 stars
    So so so so good!! we added some Monterey Jack cheese to the sauce at the end, was delicious before that but the cheese made it extra delicious! 1000000/10!! Will be making again

    1. Natasha says:

      Yay!! Thank you so much, Kayla!

  7. Beth says:

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I’ll be making this again.

    1. Natasha says:

      Fantastic!! Thank you!