You know those nights? The ones where you stare into the fridge at 6 PM and nothing looks appealing, but you desperately need something comforting under twenty minutes of active work? I have been saved by this recipe more times than I can count. Seriously, this Cheesy Chicken Orzo is my absolute weeknight hero. It’s rich, it’s deeply savory thanks to the broth, and you bake the whole thing right in the skillet you cooked it in. Cleanup? A dream!

My first time making this creamy chicken orzo, I was juggling soccer practice pickup and a sudden downpour. I threw this whole thing together in about ten minutes, shoved it in the oven, and walked back into a kitchen that smelled like pure comfort an hour later. Trust me when I say you’re going to want to keep the ingredients for this cheesy baked chicken and orzo dish stocked year-round.

Why This Cheesy Chicken Orzo Recipe Works So Well

Honestly, after a long day, the last thing I want to do is tackle a pile of dirty dishes. That’s where this recipe absolutely shines. It manages to deliver big, hearty, cheesy flavor without asking for much effort on your part. It’s the perfect balance of cozy comfort food and streamlined weeknight cooking. You get results that rival a good casserole without all the fuss, and that’s a win in my book!

It takes practically no time to get everything prepped and into the oven.
The flavor payoff is huge; that baked broth base is just heavenly.
Cleanup is a breeze because most of the cooking happens in one pan.

Quick Prep Time for Your Cheesy Chicken Orzo

I’m not kidding when I say the active time is super short. We’re talking about ten minutes of chopping and stirring before you shut the oven door. You sear the chicken, soften the aromatics, toss in the liquid and orzo, and boom—it’s ready for its baking phase. It’s so fast that sometimes I make it on evenings I swore I was just ordering take-out!

One-Skillet Method for Easy Cheesy Chicken Orzo Cleanup

This method is my secret weapon for convincing my family we had a fancy meal when really I only used one large skillet. Since it’s oven-safe, you sear the chicken, soften the onions right there, and then simmer the orzo all in the same vessel. You only pull out the bowl you used for shredding the cheese. High five for easy cleanup!

Ingredients Needed for the Best Cheesy Chicken Orzo

Okay, let’s talk about what goes into this amazing baked goodness. I always keep these items on hand because you never know when a cheesy craving will strike! The beauty of this dish is how standard the pantry staples are. We’re not breaking out any fancy imported spices here, just good, honest ingredients that merge perfectly when baked.

You’ll need about a tablespoon of olive oil to get things started in that skillet. Then comes the protein: one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which you’ll want cut into nice, manageable one-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Don’t skip chopping up one small onion—that aromatics layer is crucial for depth! And, of course, two cloves of garlic, minced nice and fine. You can’t have savory pasta without plenty of garlic, right?

For the body of the meal, grab one cup of orzo pasta. This is what makes it feel fancier than regular mac and cheese! Then, three cups of chicken broth—don’t even think about using water; the broth is what adds that essential simmer flavor. Season it simply with half a teaspoon of salt and about a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Now for the fun part! You need one cup of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, and half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese. The blend of those two cheeses is what gives you that superior, gooey texture we’re aiming for. Remember, I love checking out recipes like creamy beef rigatoni for inspiration, but this one is simple perfection!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Baked Cheesy Chicken Orzo

This recipe is so straightforward, but the order of operations really matters if you want that perfect creamy bake without scrubbing a ton of pots later! Since we’re baking this thing, we need a head start. Get your oven warmed up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit right away, and don’t forget to lightly grease whatever 8×8 baking dish you plan to use. If you don’t have a separate dish, that’s okay—we’re trying to use that oven-safe skillet for as much as possible!

Preparing the Pan and Searing the Chicken for Cheesy Chicken Orzo

First up, we need to get some color on that chicken. Heat your olive oil in that large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering, toss in your cut-up chicken pieces. You aren’t trying to cook them all the way through yet, just get a nice golden-brown sear on all sides. That usually takes about five minutes, so be patient! When they look nicely browned, pull the chicken out of the pan and set it aside on a clean plate. We’ll bring it back later.

Next, toss in your chopped onion right into the hot skillet—use those flavorful chicken bits left behind! Cook those down until they’re soft, which is usually about three minutes. Then, drop in your minced garlic and cook for just one minute more until you can really smell it. Watch that garlic; it burns fast, and nobody wants bitter garlic flavor in their dreamy cheese sauce!

Building the Orzo Base and Baking the Cheesy Chicken Orzo

This is where the magic really starts. Stir in your dry orzo pasta right into the skillet with the onions and garlic until it gets a little bit toasted, which really deepens the nutty flavor. Now pour in those three cups of chicken broth. Add your salt and pepper, give it a quick but thorough stir, and bring the whole skillet right up to a boil on the stovetop.

Once it’s bubbling, return the chicken pieces you set aside back into the skillet. Cover that heavy lid on tight, and carefully transfer the whole skillet over to your preheated oven. Let it bake patiently for about 20 minutes. You are looking for the orzo to be nice and tender and most of that beautiful broth to have been soaked up. Don’t open the lid too early!

Finishing Your Cheesy Chicken Orzo with Creamy Cheese

Once that 20 minutes is up—and only then!—carefully pull the skillet out of the oven. Be careful, that handle will be seriously hot. Now, turn your attention to the cheeses: the shredded cheddar and the grated Parmesan. Sprinkle them right over the top of the hot orzo mixture. Here’s where you need to stir immediately and vigorously. You want to mix until every single bit of cheese has melted completely into the pasta, creating our signature creamy sauce. Some folks prefer adding Monterey Jack, but I find the cheddar gives the best color. You need to stir well after adding the cheese to get that even, beautiful distribution. Serve it up right away while it’s bubbling hot!

Tips for Perfect Cheesy Chicken Orzo Every Time

I’ve made this dish so many times now that I feel like I can troubleshoot anything that might go wrong! The biggest thing I learned early on, especially when using orzo which cooks fast, is to watch your oven time. If you bake it even five minutes too long after the 20-minute mark, you risk the liquid absorbing too much, leaving you with dry pasta instead of that creamy dream we love.

We mentioned the cheddar, but if you’re not a huge cheddar fan, don’t sweat it! You can absolutely swap in Monterey Jack cheese. It melts beautifully and gives a milder flavor profile that works great if you’re serving this cheesy chicken orzo to picky eaters. It’s all about making the recipe work for your family, right? If you want to see how other baked pasta dishes handle cheese richness, check out this casserole recipe for inspiration!

Variations on Your Cheesy Chicken Orzo

While this recipe is amazing as is—seriously, don’t mess with perfection too much—I love mixing things up sometimes! It’s fun to see how robust this baked chicken and orzo really is when you toss in extras. You aren’t married to just chicken, onion, and cheese here!

If you’re trying to sneak in some greens, throw in a big handful of fresh spinach right when you add the final cheeses. It wilts down instantly and you barely notice it! I also find that a dash of dried thyme or Italian oregano during the simmering stage brightens the whole dish up beautifully. If you’re looking for another great way to switch up a pasta night, you have to try this spaghetti recipe sometime. Experimentation is the spice of life!

Serving Suggestions for Cheesy Chicken Orzo

Because this baked orzo is so incredibly rich and absolutely loaded with creamy cheese, you need something that cuts through the richness a little bit! I almost always keep it simple on the side. A light, bright green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is my personal favorite because the tanginess is the perfect foil to the savory chicken.

If you want something warm, steamed green beans or lightly sautéed broccoli are fantastic. Or, heck, if you’re having a serious comfort-food night, you can absolutely pair this with some homemade garlic breadsticks for dipping. Who am I to judge?

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Cheesy Chicken Orzo

Oh, leftovers! This baked dish keeps surprisingly well, which is another reason I love making big batches. Once it cools down a touch, transfer whatever creamy orzo remains into a good airtight container. It should keep happily in the fridge for about three days.

When you’re ready to eat it the next day, you need to remember that cheese mixture sometimes tightens up a lot in the cold. Don’t just microwave it dry! The key to bringing it back to life is adding a splash—maybe a tablespoon or two—of extra chicken broth or even just some milk before you reheat it. Just enough to loosen things up. Microwave until steaming hot, stir well halfway through, and you’re good to go!

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheesy Chicken Orzo

I get a ton of questions whenever I post this simple recipe, which just proves how popular creamy pasta bakes are! You guys are smart cooks, always thinking ahead about substitutions and equipment. I’ve gathered the most common ones right here to save you time.

Can I use different pasta instead of orzo in this Cheesy Chicken Orzo?

You absolutely can, but you have to remember that orzo is a tiny pasta and cooks really fast in liquid. If you swap it out for something bigger, like elbow macaroni or small shells, you’re going to need to add more liquid (maybe half a cup extra broth) and definitely extend that baking time. Small shapes like ditalini or maybe even tiny stars work best if you want to keep the bite size close to the original idea!

How do I make this Cheesy Chicken Orzo recipe without an oven-safe skillet?

That’s totally fine if your favorite skillet isn’t designed to go from stovetop to oven—it happens to the best of us! Just do all your initial cooking right on the stovetop: sear the chicken, soften the onions and garlic, and bring the orzo and broth mixture to a boil. Once it’s boiling, then pour everything, chicken and all, into your lightly greased 8×8 baking dish. Cover that dish tightly with foil before sliding it into the oven for the 20-minute bake time. It makes one more potential dish to clean, but the final result is the same glorious chicken pasta bake goodness!

My orzo seems a little dry after I added the cheese. What went wrong?

Oh, that’s usually the sign of baking just five minutes too long! Orzo absorbs liquid like a sponge. Next time, pull it out right when the liquid level looks almost gone, but before it looks crusty. Remember, the cheese you stir in at the very end adds a bit more moisture and richness, so you want to catch it right at that tender, but not mushy, stage.

Estimated Nutritional Information for Cheesy Chicken Orzo

I always feel a little nervous sharing the nutritional breakdown because, let’s be honest, when something is this cheesy and comforting, we know it’s not exactly a diet salad! But serving up honest information is important, so here is an estimate for a single serving of this rich, creamy dish. Remember, these numbers are totally estimates based on the amounts listed in the recipe, so if you use super sharp cheddar versus mild, or a lower-sodium broth, things will shift a bit!

This recipe delivers a serious punch of protein, which is great for a filling dinner. I always use these charts as a guideline, not scripture. If you’re trying to watch certain areas, like sodium from the broth, you can easily control that yourself next time. That’s the joy of home cooking!

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 450
Protein: 40g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fat: 18g (with 9g Saturated Fat)
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 650mg

Just a friendly reminder: these are calculated figures, so they won’t match someone else’s exact breakdown. If you are tracking things strictly for medical reasons, you should always plug your specific brand measurements into a reliable tracker!

Share Your Cheesy Chicken Orzo Creations

I absolutely love hearing from you when you try my weeknight favorites! Honestly, knowing that this recipe saved your dinner plans just like it saved mine makes all the recipe testing worth it. If you made this Cheesy Chicken Orzo and loved it, please take a moment to leave a star rating right here on the page!

Also, I’m always curious about everyone’s tweaks! Did you substitute chicken thighs instead of breasts? Did you sneak in some smoky paprika? Drop a comment below and let me and the other readers know what modifications worked great for you. Seeing your success stories really makes my day! If you have any lingering questions, you can always reach out directly through my contact page too. Happy cooking!

Cheesy Chicken Orzo

Author: jekof.com
Total Time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Diet: None

Print Recipe

Description

A simple recipe for creamy chicken and orzo pasta baked with cheese.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orzo pasta
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir in the orzo pasta, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Cover the skillet and transfer it to the preheated oven.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Remove from the oven. Stir in the cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can substitute Monterey Jack cheese for cheddar if you prefer a milder flavor.
Stir well after adding the cheese to get an even distribution.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Category: Dinner
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 450
Sugar: 3
Sodium: 650
Fat: 18
Saturated Fat: 9
Unsaturated Fat: 9
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 35
Fiber: 2
Protein: 40
Cholesterol: 110

Keywords: cheesy chicken orzo, chicken pasta bake, creamy orzo, baked chicken dish