This creamy and cheesy Chicken Orzo Bake is an effortless dinner, and the orzo pasta cooks right in the casserole dish! The whole family loves my chicken and pasta casserole, and I can’t get enough of those Tuscan flavors with juicy bites of tomato and fresh spinach.
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Chicken Orzo Bake Video
Watch the video tutorial and see how to make this quick Chicken Orzo Bake casserole. P.S. If you use rotisserie chicken, it’s just assemble and bake. Add this orzo casserole to your meal plan this week!
Chicken Orzo Bake Recipe
This easy one-pan chicken orzo bake is a winner! I made this for a cabin trip, and it was well-loved by all 3 families that ate it. The kids gave it rave reviews, and I figure if there’s a dish that everyone in the group loves that much, it’s a major win and one that I’ll be repeating.
It’s a brilliant and easy way to feed a crowd. You can sauté your own chicken or dice up leftover Spatchcock Chicken or Baked Chicken Breast, which makes it even easier. This chicken pasta bake also reheats well because it has a creamy base, which is great for meal prep or if you want to put some into a lunchbox the next day.
This recipe was inspired by Mallory’s Tuscan Chicken Bake, but I added more chicken to make sure it would satisfy our crowd. This chicken orzo bake will certainly become a staple of the cabin trip menu, along with other easy crowd-pleasers like Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet, Baked Mac and Cheese, and Meatloaf.
Ingredients for Chicken Orzo Bake
It’s all here in the ingredients—everything you need for a well-rounded, crowd-pleasing meal.
- Chicken – I always have chicken breast in my freezer so I cook that up for this casserole but I love using rotisserie chicken for this recipe—it doesn’t get any easier. You’ll need about 3 cups cooked diced chicken. In a real pinch, you could use leftover turkey as well.
- Chicken stock – I use homemade Chicken Stock but you can use a good quality store-bought one.
- Heavy whipping cream – This gives the casserole a creamy, luxurious sauce. For a lighter version, substitute half & half, but the sauce won’t be as thick.
- Orzo – The quality of the pasta matters. See my note below for the brands I like most. If you’re using cheaper pasta, use 12oz of orzo because it expands more, but for pasta made with 100% hard durum semolina, you can use 16oz.
- Veggies – Baby spinach and cherry Tomatoes. If you want to substitute tomatoes with 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped, then I add an extra 1/2 cup of stock or cream.
- Cheese – mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese
- Tuscan Flavors – I add lemon juice to add some acidity and lightness along with minced garlic, salt, pepper and dried oregano.
Which Pasta is Best?
Cheaper pasta absorbs too much of the liquid or turns to mush, so when making pasta casseroles, opt for a high-quality Italian Bronze-cut pasta like Dellalo, De Cecco, Rustichella d’Abruzzo, or Pastificio De Martino. These are made from semolina flour. It may sound fancy, but don’t worry, it’s easily found at your local grocery.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Orzo Bake
You’ll be amazed at how easily this chicken orzo casserole comes together! Once you have the chicken prepped, it’s just mix and bake. EASY and delicious!
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. I love this oil sprayer for greasing pans!
- Sautee Chicken Breasts – slice two large uncooked chicken breasts in half lengthwise, season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side or until 165˚F on a thermometer, then let it rest 5-10 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces. You can also dice up 2 large chicken breasts to get 3 cups of cooked chicken.
- Assemble the casserole – Add the stock, cream, pasta, chicken, garlic, veggies, half the cheeses (reserve the other half for the top), lemon juice, and seasoning into the greased casserole dish. Stir until combined and spread it evenly into the pan.
- Bake – Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheeses over the top and bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until pasta is to your desired tenderness (depending on the kind of pasta you use – better quality pasta can take a little longer). The casserole will be bubbly around the edges and have lovely browned, melted cheese on top.
- Rest the casserole – let the dish sit for 10 minutes to thicken, and then gently stir and serve!
Natasha’s Pro Tip:
If you’d like a more creamy chicken orzo bake casserole after baking, add 1/2 cup of hot water, broth, or cream and stir it into the casserole.
Storage Tips
This creamy chicken orzo bake is the perfect dish for meal planning since leftovers reheat really well.
- To Refrigerate: Cool and cover leftovers. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Cool leftovers and transfer to a freezer-safe, air-tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat: Place casserole in an oven-safe container, sprinkle the top with some water to keep the casserole moist, and reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through. You can also reheat a portion in the microwave or in a skillet. If the casserole seems dry, stir in a bit of liquid.
What to Serve with Chicken Orzo Bake
This chicken orzo bake is a meal all on its own, but I like to pair it with a light, crisp salad and crusty bread to soak up all that creamy sauce.
- Chickpea Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Caprese Salad
- Maroulosalata Greek Lettuce Salad
- Tomato Burrata Salad
- Sourdough Bread
- Focaccia Bread
This creamy Chicken Orzo Bake is a simple recipe with a creamy, delicious Tuscan flavor! It’s a crowd-favorite chicken casserole loaded with cheesy sauce, pasta, and veggies for a delicious, satisfying meal. You’ll want to put this recipe on your repeat list!
Chicken Orzo Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, or 1 1/4 lbs, (about 3 cups cooked chopped chicken)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 12-16 oz orzo*, depending on the brand (Dellalo = 16 oz, Barilla = 12 oz, see notes*)
- 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves, 2-3 oz, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes*
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated or shredded
- 5 medium garlic cloves, minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to season chicken
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to season chicken
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray or grease with butter.
- Prep Chicken – If you aren’t using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Sautee chicken breast for about 4 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through to 165˚F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove to a cutting board and cool for 5 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble the Casserole – into the prepared 9×13 casserole, add chicken stock, heavy cream, orzo, chicken, spinach, tomatoes, half of your mozzarella, half of your parmesan cheese (save the remaining cheese for the topping), garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir everything to combine, then flatten the top into an even layer.
- Bake – add the remaining parmesan and mozzarella over the top of the casserole, then bake uncovered in the preheated oven at 375˚F for 40-45 minutes or until the orzo is tender or your desired doneness.*
- Rest Casserole – Once the dish is out of the oven, let it rest and thicken up* for 10 minutes, then stir gently to combine and enjoy!
Notes
*You replace tomatoes with 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped, but add an extra 1/2 cup of liquid. The type of pasta you use matters. For the best results, I recommend using a high-quality Italian bronze cut orzo made from 100% hard durum semolina. The bronze-cut method gives the pasta a rougher surface, and it doesn’t expand and absorb as much liquid, resulting in a creamier pasta. Some of my favorite brands are Dellalo, De Cecco, Rustichella d’Abruzzo, and Pastificio Di Martino. They hold up perfectly al dente and make such a difference in your dish. Here’s how to adjust the amount of pasta and timing:
–With a high-quality Italian orzo, use 16 oz and cook closer to 45 minutes
–With a lower quality or cheaper orzo, use 12 oz since it expands more. Cooks faster, about 40 minutes. **If the Pasta casserole seems dry (some pastas absorb more liquid than others, add 1/2 cup of hot liquid – either water, broth, or cream and stir it in.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Casserole Recipes
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- Shepherd’s Pie
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- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Lasagna
Hi Natasha,
Do you think it would change the texture too much to use half & half instead of heavy whipping cream?
Hi Kimberly! For a lighter version, substitute half & half, but the sauce won’t be as thick.
This meal is amazing! My husband loved it and although I made it with chicken thighs it was still a lovely taste. We liked it so much, we’ve decided to invite friends over for dinner and I’ll make it again. Thank you so much. I certainly can’t recommend this dish enough!
First time making and my family wants more I guess I always wanted to be chef and retirement let’s me have time. This recipe is very easy to make and so delicious 😋
Can you make this without cooking the chicken first but just cube the chicken and add it raw in the casserole dish. A cooking time of 40 minutes should cook the chicken.
Hi Caroline, I don’t recommend adding raw chicken as there can be potential issues with even cooking and food safety.
Just made this for my wife and we both enjoyed it.
Do you bake this and then freeze and reheat, or do you freeze and defrost and bake. I’ve split the recipe into to 8×8 disposable pans, because there are only two of us. My brain is telling me that I should cook both.
Hello there! Please check this portion of the recipe “Storage Tips” on how to make this ahead! Hope this helps!
AMAZING chicken meal.MY FAVORITE PERSON CREATS ANOTHER FANTASTIC MEAL SHOULD BE 20 STARS WOW.
GOD BLESS THANK YOU
Hi Natasha,
This is such an easy recipe and so Yummy, I have to double it so we have extra for lunches the next day:) I just Love All Your Recipes (What would I do without you)!!!!
I saw Sharky munching on a lemon, he’s so Cute
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!!!
Delicious 😋 especially with olive cheese bread!
I used rotisserie chicken for this and was happy at how quick and easy this recipe was. It was also very delicious! Will definitely make it again. Thank you!
this was really good. Only minor change I made was I didn’t have spinach so I just added some broccoli pieces and I used a little more mozzarella (we’re cheese nuts). Hubby loved it too. I’ll definitely make this again. thanks
Would it be possible to use asparagus? Love your recipes.
Hi Patti, I bet it could work, If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
It didn’t thicken up like I hoped but my family loved it. 🙂
Did you use heavy whipping cream? Rest the casserole – let the dish sit for 10 minutes to thicken, and then gently stir and serve!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free pasta? What brand?
Clan this casserole be made ahead of time ?
Hi Helene! Yes, it reheats well. See the section above, “storage tips” for further details.
Hi can you share which nonstick pan you used for the chicken. I am looking for a new one. Thank you! Also would love learn how to make beef Koobidah if you can give that one a try. Thank you!! Love all your recipes
Hi Marianne! I used a ceramic non-stick pan. Here is my Amazon affiliate shop where I linked my favorite cookware.
Crowd-pleaser!!! What a perfect recipe. Economical, fairly quick and outstanding taste. Fed a family of 5 with leftovers.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sabrina!
Never mind I think I just found it in your “shop”
Thanks 😊
I’m sorry, but can you tell me what brand of pan that is you used please? I just can’t find the link. Thanks so much 😊
It looks amazing & I will make it. My concern is that the xhicken will be dry & overcooked since it is cooked twice. Youre thoughts? I love your recipes & your positive bubbly personality.
Thank you, Mary!
The chicken doesn’t dry out because it absorbs moisture from the sauce. I hope you give it a try!