Marry Me Chicken Sushi Cups (Printable)

Creamy chicken and orzo baked into savory muffin cups with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Pasta

01 - 1 cup cooked orzo pasta (about 90 grams dry)
02 - 1 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Marry Me Sauce

03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly & Topping

12 - 1 large egg
13 - 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
15 - 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
16 - Olive oil spray

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil spray.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herbs, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Stir in cooked chicken and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked orzo, chicken mixture, eggs, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Mix thoroughly.
06 - Divide the mixture evenly into muffin cups, pressing lightly to compact.
07 - Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on each cup and mist lightly with olive oil.
08 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and set.
09 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before loosening edges with a knife and removing from the tin. Garnish with additional basil before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look restaurant-worthy but come together in under an hour, which means you can actually impress people on a weeknight without the stress.
  • The creamy Marry Me sauce soaks into the orzo while staying light enough that you don't feel weighed down after eating three.
  • Make them ahead, freeze unbaked, and bake straight from the freezer when guests arrive—no thawing required.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the sauce mixture before mixing in the eggs, or you'll end up with scrambled bits instead of a smooth binder—learned this the hard way on my first batch.
  • If the mixture looks too wet when you're filling the cups, the baked result will be soggy; if it's too thick, they'll be dense—you want something between a thick pasta salad and a casserole.
03 -
  • Use a muffin scoop or ice cream scoop to fill each cup evenly—it takes the guesswork out and makes them cook at the same rate.
  • If you can't find sun-dried tomatoes in oil, use the dried ones but rehydrate them in warm water first so they're tender and flavorful.
Go Back