Marry Me Turkey Orzo Skillet

This cozy one-pan meal brings all the creamy, comforting flavors of “marry me” chicken into a lighter, more balanced dish. Ground turkey is a fun twist and a great option for even beginner cooks. Pantry sundried tomatoes and fresh spinach are the veggies of choice. Convenience is key! Milk and Parmesan cheese come together to add the creaminess, no heavy cream needed. It’s a quick, satisfying dinner that feels special enough for a date night but easy enough for any busy weeknight family meal!

Course Dinner

Keyword tomatoes, ground turkey, orzo, skillet, sundried tomatoes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 330

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. fresh ground turkey
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. black pepper
3 garlic cloves minced (or 1 ½ tsp. jarred minced garlic)
4 oz. sundried tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup dried orzo
2 ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
2 cups fresh spinach
½ cup milk
½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Fresh parsley optional

Instructions

Add spinach to a colander and rinse to clean. Set aside.
Heat a large-rimmed skillet that has a lid on medium heat. Add olive oil.
Once oil is hot, add ground turkey and salt. Cook until turkey is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Add Italian seasoning, paprika and black pepper and stir in with the meat. Add minced garlic and sundried tomatoes, stir and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
Add the dried orzo to the skillet, allowing it to “toast” with the meat mixture for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Add broth and stir. Cover the pan and let it cook for 12 minutes, setting a timer for every three minutes to remove lid and stir (this ensures that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan).
Stir in spinach and milk, cooking until spinach is soft.
Remove from heat and add shredded Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and skillet is creamy. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Option to top with chopped parsley and enjoy!

Notes

You can use frozen spinach here, too — just use ¼ of a 10-oz. bag.
Feel free to sub oregano or basil if you don’t have Italian seasoning.
Ground chicken or lean ground beef would also work instead of ground turkey.

Nutrition