Chicken Orzo Bake (Dump-and-Bake Casserole)
Chicken Orzo Bake is an easy, dump-and-bake casserole loaded with cooked chicken, mushrooms, baby spinach, garlic-and-herb Boursin cheese, and orzo pasta. Best of all, this chicken orzo recipe is combined directly in the baking dish for no extra dishes to wash!
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Lately, I'm really loving the convenience of dump-and-bake casseroles. So I decided to come up with a new one for y'all...this delectable Chicken Orzo Bake!
This dinner is loaded with flavor, from savory mushrooms to herb-infused Boursin cheese. And thanks to the convenience of pre-cooked chicken, simply mix everything right in the baking dish and it's ready to pop in the oven in a matter of minutes!
Ingredients
The beauty of this Chicken Orzo Bake is that it creates its own creamy sauce while it bakes!
- Orzo pasta. No need to pre-boil...it'll cook right in the baking dish!
- Chicken. Cooked and diced or shredded. I often use diced rotisserie chicken in this chicken orzo recipe, but leftover chicken (or holiday turkey!) works great as well. Or you can freshly cook some chicken using your favorite method. For meal prep, I like to use my slow cooker or Instant Pot to pre-cook a bunch of chicken breasts, and then I dice 'em up and freeze in portions to have handy for recipes like this!
- Baby bella mushrooms. Cleaned and roughly chopped. You can substitute white button mushrooms for baby bellas if you like.
- Seasonings. Namely, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Chicken broth OR stock. Use low-sodium if you'd like more control over the ultimate saltiness of your Chicken Orzo Bake.
- Boursin cheese. Crumbled or cubed. This recipe was developed using the Garlic & Fine Herbs flavor of Boursin, but you could easily substitute other flavors if you like. The Boursin melts down into the broth to create a creamy, flavorful sauce for this chicken orzo recipe.
- Parmesan. Freshly grated. For additional cheesy flavor!
- Baby spinach. I recommend roughly chopping it so that there are no long, stringy pieces when taking a bite. 😉
How to Make Chicken Orzo Bake
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
This Chicken Orzo Bake is ridiculously easy to make. You don't even need to dirty a mixing bowl!
- Preheat the oven and grease or spray a glass or ceramic baking dish.
- Pour orzo into the bottom of the baking dish and add your diced chicken.
- Add the chopped mushrooms and sprinkle seasonings over the top.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir well to combine all ingredients. (I would actually stir even more thoroughly than what's depicted below...make sure all of the ingredients are well mixed and that the orzo isn't clumped up anywhere.) Then smooth the top and push down any pieces of orzo to make sure they're all completely submerged.
- Evenly scatter the Boursin crumbles over the top of the Chicken Orzo Bake and tightly seal with foil. The key is to make sure that no steam can escape during baking!
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the orzo is completely tender.
- Add the baby spinach and the grated Parmesan.
- Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- Lay the foil back over the top and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, during which time the spinach will wilt and the sauce will thicken and continue absorbing into the orzo.
Serve immediately with a garnish of additional grated Parmesan and optional fresh minced parsley.
ENJOY!
Tips + Tricks
There are two keys to ensuring success with this Chicken Orzo Bake:
1. Make sure that all of the orzo is fully submerged before baking.
2. Make sure that the foil is tightly sealed to trap steam.
Furthermore, it's okay if your chicken orzo recipe still seems liquidy once the orzo is tender. The sauce will continue to thicken up as it rests.
Leftovers
Storage: Chicken Orzo Bake leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: This recipe may be reheated in a pot on stove set over low to medium-low heat. Add a bit of broth or milk to thin out the sauce and stir frequently.
Alternatively, individual servings can be reheated in the microwave...again, with a splash of broth or milk.
You won't believe how elegant and delicious this Chicken Orzo Bake turns out, particularly considering how easy it is to make!
It's cozy and comforting, loaded with texture, and bursting with flavor.
It's quick enough for a weeknight dinner yet impressive enough for company.
I hope you have a chance to try it soon...and I hope you love it if you do! 🙂
More Easy Chicken Casseroles
- Cheesy Chicken + Rice Casserole (Dump-and-Bake)
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Orzo Bake (Dump-and-Bake Casserole)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dry orzo pasta
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, cleaned & roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth OR stock
- 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese (garlic & herbs flavor), diced into small cubes/crumbles
- ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- OPTIONAL GARNISH: fresh minced parsley
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 375°F.
- Generously grease a 9- by 13-inch (or 3-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish. Add orzo, chicken, and mushrooms to the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper and pour in the chicken broth. Stir well to combine and redistribute/smooth down the ingredients, making sure that all orzo is pushed down and submerged in the broth. Scatter the Boursin cubes/crumbles over the top of the mixture.
- Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (or a lid) so that steam doesn’t escape. Bake for 40 minutes or until orzo is completely tender.
- Remove the dish from the oven and remove the foil. Stir in grated Parmesan and baby spinach and adjust seasonings to taste, if necessary. Lay the foil back over the top and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, during which time the spinach will wilt and the sauce will thicken and continue absorbing into the orzo. Serve immediately with a garnish of additional grated Parmesan and optional fresh minced parsley.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- The two keys to ensuring success with this recipe is making sure that all of the orzo is submerged and that the foil is tightly sealed to trap steam.
- I typically use diced rotisserie chicken in this recipe.
- White button mushrooms may be substituted for the baby bellas.
- You can swap out the Garlic & Herbs Boursin for other flavors, if you like.
- The Chicken Orzo Bake may still seem liquidy once the orzo is tender, but it will thicken up as it sits.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- You’ll probably need to stir in a splash of broth or milk before reheating individual servings of leftovers in the microwave.
This was delicious! The entire family loved it and it came together so easily. Definitely a keeper!
Makes me so happy to hear that, Kristin! Thanks for taking the time to let me know that this dinner was a hit with your family. 🙂