Creamy Baked Chicken and Orzo

Fork scooping into creamy baked chicken orzo on plate.

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Creamy Baked Chicken and Orzo

This simple and super creamy baked chicken and orzo dinner is a dump and bake, one- pan dinner recipe. Only 10 minutes to prep and then once baked, stir, add some cream, spinach and parmesan and dinner is served--seriously that is it! This is going to be a regular family dinner favorite!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dinner, pasta

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized cubed
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup orzo uncooked
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
3-4 garlic cloves minced
12 oz cherry tomatoes
6-8 oz cream cheese cubed
2 handfuls baby spinach
¼ cup parmesan freshly grated
1-2 Tbsp heavy cream optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add the the cubed chicken with the olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder and Italian seasoning to a 9x13 inch baking dish and toss to evenly coat.
Add the orzo, garlic, broth and tomatoes and stir to combine making sure that all of the orzo is submerged in the liquid. Set the cream cheese cubes into the mixture throughout the pan.
Seal tight with foil and bake for about 40-45 minutes, trying not to open it if possible to keep in all of the steam and heat. You can check at about the 35-40 minute mark and test if the orzo is cooked al dente, much of the broth has been absorbed and the chicken has reached 165°F and heat more as needed.
Once the chicken and orzo is cooked, uncover and stir to mix in the cream cheese. Some of the tomatoes will pop on their own, but as you stir, gently pop the rest for added flavor in the sauce.
Stir in the parmesan and spinach and allow the parmesan to melt and the spinach to wilt. The sauce should thicken up a bit as well. Optional: Add heavy cream about 1 tablespoon at a time or as desired to add creaminess and richness to the sauce.
Top with freshly chopped basil and serve.

Notes

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. To freeze, allow to cool completely before transferring to the freezer in a freezer-safe container. This will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months--the orzo can lose it's bite and become a bit mushy after freezing, just to be aware!

Nutrition