Let’s get cooking.
Cut the 600 g chicken into roughly 2 cm pieces. Finely chop the onion and garlic, slice the sun-dried tomatoes and grate the parmesan. Drain oil-packed tomatoes before weighing; if using dry-packed tomatoes, soften them according to their packet first. Prepare 700 ml chicken stock.
Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally; work in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate. It will finish cooking with the orzo.
Reduce to medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened, stirring to lift the browned bits from the pan. Add a splash of the measured stock if it sticks.
Stir in the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and oregano for 1 minute. Add the 250 g dry orzo, the remaining stock and the chicken with any juices from the plate.
Bring to a gentle bubble, then simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for about 10–12 minutes. Stir frequently, scraping along the bottom to stop the orzo sticking. If the liquid disappears while the pasta is still firm, add hot water a little at a time and continue cooking.
Taste a piece of orzo: it should be tender with a slight bite. Check the centre of a large chicken piece reaches 75°C for 30 seconds. If the pasta is cooked but the sauce is watery, simmer briefly while stirring until it thickens.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the 100 g cream cheese, 80 g spinach and 40 g parmesan until the cheese melts and the spinach wilts. Add black pepper and optional chilli flakes. The sauce should be creamy and spoonable; loosen with a splash of hot water if needed, then serve.
