Description
Chicken Orzo Bake is a comforting, all-in-one casserole dish made with tender chicken, orzo pasta, vegetables, and a creamy, cheesy sauce. Perfect for a family dinner with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large oven-safe skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté onion and garlic until softened, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add orzo and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, peas and carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Return chicken to the skillet, stir to combine, and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- Substitute rotisserie chicken to save time on prep.
- Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter version.
- This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 95mg