One-Pan Chicken Sausage Orzotto with Mozzarella and Zucchini

This one-pan orzotto is the ultimate weeknight comfort meal. It’s a risotto-style pasta dish where orzo is cooked slowly with just enough liquid to become creamy and al dente, without any draining or straining. The best part? Everything comes together in a single skillet, so cleanup is a breeze.

We’ve packed this dish with savory Italian chicken sausage, tender zucchini and a touch of crushed tomatoes for brightness. A topping of melted mozzarella and crispy panko breadcrumbs adds a golden, bubbly finish. It’s a complete, satisfying dinner that feels special but is simple enough for any night of the week.

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Ingredients

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Orzo PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.76 ounce Crushed TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mozzarella CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Preheat broiler to high or oven to 500°F. Trim ends from zucchini, then grate using large holes of a box grater. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating greens and whites. Remove sausage from casings.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and 1½ tsp Italian seasoning (save the rest), breaking up meat into pieces. Cook until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined bowl and set aside.
3. Add grated zucchini, scallion whites and a drizzle of oil to the same pan over medium-high heat. Cook, tossing, until tender and zucchini has reduced by about a third, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the bowl with sausage. Wipe out the pan.
4. Melt 1 tbsp butter in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add orzo and toss to coat. Toast, stirring often, until golden, 2-3 minutes. Stir in 1½ cups water, stock concentrate, half the crushed tomatoes (reserve the rest for another use) and remaining Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then cook, stirring occasionally, until orzo is al dente, about 12 minutes.
5. Drain any excess liquid from the sausage and zucchini mixture, then stir into the orzo. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat. (If your pan is not ovenproof, transfer the mixture to a baking dish.) Sprinkle mozzarella and panko evenly over the top.
6. Place the pan or dish under the broiler, about 3 inches from the flame. Broil until panko is golden brown and mozzarella is melted, 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye to prevent burning. Remove from broiler, scatter with scallion greens and divide between plates.

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