Saucy, creamy, and ridiculously easy, this Thai red curry chicken orzo turns the flavors of the classic curry into a gorgeous one-pot dinner. Everything cooks on the stovetop in just 30 minutes, making it a fabulous better-than-takeout option for any day of the week.
Red Curry Orzo, at a Glance
⏰ Time: 30 minutes
🍽️ Makes: 4 servings
🛒 Key Ingredients: Chicken thighs, orzo, red curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce
👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
🍳 Cooking Method: Stovetop, one-pot
💪 Protein: 37g per serving
🌶️ Spice Level: Mild to medium (will depend on the red curry paste you use)
🥡 Perfect For: Easy high-protein dinners, better-than-takeout nights in, when you’re craving risotto but want something easier
When You Can’t Decide Between Curry and Pasta
I will forever love a speedy one-pot dinner situation. Not only are they quick and easy, but you also get all those lovely flavors working together in the same pan, with very little washing up at the end.
Orzo is particularly brilliant because it cooks quickly and releases its starch directly into the sauce, making it gorgeously creamy without needing any actual cream. You get that lovely, risotto-esque texture, without the constant stirring and attention.
Here, it cooks in a punchy Thai red curry and coconut sauce with juicy pieces of chicken thighs and pak choi for a little freshness. Lime juice cuts through any richness, and, of course, a very big drizzle of spicy chili oil (or chili crisp) finishes things off perfectly.
The biggest thing I learned while testing this was to take the pan off the heat while the orzo still looks a bit saucy. It keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, so what might initially look a little loose will be perfectly creamy and thick by the time you serve it.
I’ve got a few one-pot orzo recipes on the site – like this ginger chili chicken orzo, ‘Marry Me’ orzo, and miso mushroom orzo – and this one is just as gorgeous. My boyfriend absolutely hoovered it down when I was testing it, so if that’s not a great sign, I don’t know what is!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Orzo. I love orzo. It’s a small, rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and releases its starch into the sauce, helping create a gorgeous creamy consistency. You might find it labelled as risoni (it often is in NZ/AU). Another small pasta shape will work, but you may need to adjust the cooking time and the amount of stock you use.
- Chicken thighs. I prefer chicken thighs (boneless and skinless) here because they stay juicy, even after they’re simmered with the orzo. You can use chicken breasts if you prefer, but they are more likely to dry out.
- Coconut milk. Canned coconut milk, not the drink. Look for coconut milk with at least 60% coconut extract for the best creamy flavor and consistency.
- Red curry paste. Brands vary wildly in terms of flavor and heat level, so I’d recommend tasting the one you use to check how spicy it is. I’m using Mae Ploy here and recommend it.
- Pak choi. I like this because it cooks quickly and pairs well with the flavors of the curry paste, but you can switch this out if you like. Baby spinach leaves, sliced green beans, tenderstem broccoli, edamame beans all work well.
- Fish sauce. An essential in Thai cooking. This adds a very gorgeous umami hit that salt alone can’t replicate. I recommend using it if you can.
How to Make Red Curry Orzo
This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the orzo – the full recipe with ingredient quantities is at the bottom of the page for you.
- Cook your chicken until nicely browned (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked through at this point).
- Remove the chicken from the pan, then add the red curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until it dries out a little.
- Mix your orzo through the curry paste.
- Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock.
- Add the chicken back into the pan, then stir and simmer until the orzo has cooked through.
- Scatter the chopped pak choi into the orzo and stir through.
- Squeeze in your lime juice, then drizzle with lots of chili oil, and scatter with cilantro.
- Divide between bowls and serve while hot and saucy.
Kate’s Top Recipe Tips
- Stir the orzo occasionally. While this isn’t a risotto in that it needs constant stirring, you do still need to stir every few minutes. Scrape your spatula across the bottom of the pan to prevent any orzo from sticking to the bottom.
- It’s meant to be saucier than you’d think. The orzo will absorb liquid as it sits, so don’t worry if it looks a bit saucy in the pan. Once you take it off the heat and transfer it to serving bowls, it will thicken up nicely.
- Use chicken thighs, rather than breasts. Because the chicken continues to cook in the sauce, I recommend thighs for the best, juiciest result. Breasts can dry out in the pan quickly.
Red Curry Orzo FAQs
This very much depends on the red curry paste you use. I recommend tasting your curry paste before using it if you’re unsure how spicy it is, and then you can adjust accordingly.
I like Mae Ploy (it’s what I’m using here), and I find it gives a nice, medium heat. If you’re worried, reduce the quantity to 2 tablespoons – you can always add extra chili crisp when you’re serving.
As the orzo absorbs the liquid and releases starch into the sauce, it can settle at the bottom of the pan. Make sure the heat is low when it simmers, and give it a stir every couple of minutes, using your spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to release any annoying stuck bits.
If the sauce is becoming too thick and your orzo still needs time to cook, add a little more water or stock.
Yes! Just be aware that the orzo will keep absorbing liquid as it sits, so you’ll want to loosen it with extra stock or water when you heat it to get the same creamy consistency it had when fresh.
It’ll keep for at least 3 days, stored in a covered container in the fridge.
Like this recipe? Try these one-pot orzo ideas next
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
One-Pot Thai Red Curry Chicken Orzo
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the chicken thighs.Dice your chicken thighs into roughly 1-inch pieces. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large, high-sided pan set over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden.The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked at this point – it'll continue cooking in the orzo later.
- Cook the curry paste.Reduce the heat to medium, then add 3 tablespoons of red curry paste, ginger, and crushed garlic. Add a little more oil if needed, then stir for a couple of minutes. You want the curry paste to darken a little and for it to look a bit drier.
- Add the orzo and stock.Pour the orzo into the pan and mix through the curry paste. Pour in the coconut milk, 1 ½ cups of hot chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Stir to combine, then add the chicken back into the pan, stir again, and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer the orzo.Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, to stop the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan, for about 10 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente (cooked, with a little bite to it) and the sauce has thickened nicely.
- Add the pak choi.Scatter the chopped pak choi into the pan, and stir it through the orzo. Squeeze a wedge of lime juice into the orzo, stir, then taste and add more lime juice if needed.
- Garnish and serve.Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle with the chili oil, then scatter over the cilantro leaves. Divide between bowls and serve while hot and saucy. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.
