Marry Me Chicken Sushi Cups (Printer-Friendly)

Baked cups blending creamy chicken, orzo pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian herbs in a fusion style.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken & Pasta

01 - 2 cups cooked orzo pasta (about 6.35 oz dry)
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Marry Me Sauce

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

→ Assembly & Topping

12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
15 - 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
16 - Olive oil spray

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil spray.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add heavy cream, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herbs, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
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, mix cooked orzo, chicken mixture, eggs, shredded mozzarella, and fresh basil until evenly combined.
06 - Divide mixture equally among muffin cups, pressing lightly to compact each cup.
07 - Sprinkle each filled cup with panko breadcrumbs and lightly mist with olive oil spray.
08 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden and set.
09 - Cool cups for 5 minutes, then loosen edges with a knife and remove from tin. Garnish with additional basil before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each cup is perfectly portioned, so no one fights over the last scoop or worries about serving sizes.
  • The creamy Marry Me sauce gets baked into every bite, so you taste garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese in one forkful.
  • You can make them ahead and bake right before guests arrive, which means less panic and more time to enjoy your own party.
  • They look fancy enough for a celebration but use ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
02 -
  • Let the sauce cool for a few minutes before mixing in the eggs, or the eggs will scramble and you will end up with weird clumps instead of a smooth filling.
  • Press the mixture down firmly into each muffin cup, loose filling will crumble when you try to remove the cups from the tin.
  • Grease the muffin tin generously, even if it is nonstick, because the cheese and egg mixture can stick stubbornly to the sides.
  • Do not overbake or the cups will dry out, they should still look a little moist in the center when you take them out.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken to save time, just shred it and skip the cooking step entirely.
  • If your muffin tin has deeper wells, you might get 10 larger cups instead of 12, adjust the baking time by a minute or two.
  • Swap orzo for ditalini or any small pasta shape you have on hand, the texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
  • For a spicier version, double the red pepper flakes and add a pinch of cayenne to the sauce.
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