Harvest Orzo Skillet with Roasted Vegetables and Herbs

This Harvest Orzo Skillet is a cozy one-pot meal that captures everything we love about fall: roasted squash and potatoes, tender chicken thighs, savory herbs, creamy orzo, and a pop of sweet-tart cranberries with crunchy candied pepitas. It’s an easy, flavorful dish that comes together in a single skillet and makes a satisfying family dinner.

Easy Fall Skillet Recipe

This skillet has a few distinct steps—marinating, toasting pepitas, searing, sautéing, and baking—but each step builds layers of flavor. The result is juicy, well-seasoned chicken paired with creamy, perfectly cooked orzo and tender fall vegetables.

Featured Ingredients

• Bone-in chicken thighs: They stay juicier and add more flavor than boneless thighs. If using boneless, reduce searing time.
• Butternut squash: Either pre-cut or freshly peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces works.
• Red potatoes: Small red potatoes hold their shape and cook similarly to butternut squash.
• Orzo: Regular or whole wheat orzo both work; uncooked orzo is added to the skillet and finishes cooking in the oven.
• Chicken broth: Adds depth—use what you have on hand.

Directions: A Quick Look

1. Marinate the chicken: Salt the thighs, then massage on a garlic, olive oil, balsamic, pepper, and thyme marinade. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Season the vegetables: Toss butternut squash and red potatoes with oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder.
3. Candy the pepitas: Toss pepitas with maple syrup, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Toast until golden and cool on parchment.
4. Sear and sauté: Sear chicken skin-side down until golden, remove, then cook onions and garlic in the drippings. Deglaze with wine, add the squash and potatoes, then add orzo and toast briefly.
5. Bake to finish: Add broth, kale, herbs, and finish with a drizzle of heavy cream. Nestle chicken on top, cover, and bake until chicken reaches 165°F and orzo is tender. Rest, then top with goat cheese, cranberries, and pepitas.

Top Tips

• Adjust heat to taste: Reduce or omit cayenne in the pepitas if you prefer a mild flavor.
• Cook the vegetables long enough: Sauté the squash and potatoes until they start to soften before adding orzo so everything finishes evenly in the oven.
• Cover the skillet: Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid. If you don’t have one, cover tightly with foil to trap steam so the orzo cooks through.
• Check the chicken temperature: Use a thermometer and confirm chicken reaches 165°F before serving.

FAQ

Storage

Let the skillet cool completely, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a low oven, adding a splash of broth if needed to loosen the orzo.

Harvest Orzo Skillet — Ingredients

Serves 4

Chicken

• 1.5–2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
• ¾ teaspoon coarse salt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (used in marinade)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (for marinade)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1½ tablespoons fresh thyme, leaves removed

Vegetables

• 2 cups butternut squash, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 2 cups red potatoes, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for vegetables)
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic

Pepitas

• ½ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ⅛–¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Other

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil (for searing)
• ½ large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (additional)
• ½ cup white wine (optional, for deglazing)
• 1¼ cups uncooked orzo
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped kale, packed
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup heavy cream (added near the end)
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. Season and marinate the chicken: Sprinkle the thighs with kosher salt and massage it into the meat. In a bowl, combine minced garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper, and thyme. Coat the thighs with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Toss butternut squash and red potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and garlic powder. Set aside.
3. Make the pepitas: Toss pepitas with maple syrup, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until golden. Transfer to parchment to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove chicken from fridge and let rest 10 minutes. Heat a large ovenproof skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat with 1½ tablespoons olive oil.
5. Sear the chicken skin-side down until the skin is golden and releases easily from the pan, about 4–5 minutes. Flip and sear the other side about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
6. In the same skillet, add the diced onion to the drippings and cook 2–3 minutes with a pinch of salt, then add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
7. Deglaze with white wine if using, scraping up browned bits. Add the squash and potatoes and sauté 4–5 minutes until they begin to soften.
8. Add the uncooked orzo and toss to combine, letting it toast 2–3 minutes.
9. Pour in the chicken broth, add chopped kale, fresh thyme, rosemary sprigs, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the heavy cream evenly over the top and stir gently.
10. Arrange the seared chicken thighs on top of the mixture and cover the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Check that chicken reaches 165°F and orzo is tender.
11. Remove from oven and let rest 5–10 minutes to allow the orzo to absorb any remaining liquid. Sprinkle with dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, and the cooled pepitas before serving.

Nutrition (approx.)

Per serving (estimate): Calories 971; Carbohydrates 76 g; Protein 43 g; Fat 54 g; Fiber 11 g; Sugar 11 g. Nutrition is an approximation and should be used as a guide only.

If you try this Harvest Orzo Skillet, enjoy the warm fall flavors and feel free to adjust spice levels, swap squash varieties, or add extra herbs to make it your own.