Chicken Orzo Bake
Chicken Orzo Bake is a play on the Marry Me Chicken style of recipe, which is always so good. This one bakes in the oven in 40 total minutes and easy to throw together, without any crazy amounts of chopping.
If you love Marry Me Chicken, this Chicken Orzo Bake is about to become your new weeknight hero. It takes everything you love about that creamy, sundried-tomato sauce and turns it into a cozy one-dish dinner that bakes right in the oven, with no babysitting a skillet required.
I came up with this one on a busy night when I wanted all the flavor of Marry Me Chicken but did not feel like standing over the stove. The answer was letting the oven do the work. You layer everything into a 9x13, the orzo cooks right in the chicken broth so it soaks up every bit of that garlicky, sundried-tomato flavor, and a splash of heavy cream and parmesan at the end pulls it all together into something creamy and comforting.
The best part is there is almost no chopping. Cube the chicken, build the dish, and walk away. Start to finish you are looking at about 40 minutes, and most of that is hands-off oven time while you help with homework, answer emails, or just sit down for five quiet minutes.
This is the kind of meal I am always trying to put in your back pocket: real ingredients you can find at any grocery store, one dish to wash, and enough to feed a family of six with leftovers for lunch. If you are new to cooking, this is a great one to build confidence with because it is genuinely hard to mess up. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 lb pack of chicken, cut into cubes
- 8oz Jar of Sundried Tomatoes with oil
- 3oz Tomato Paste
- 1 TBSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TBSP Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 16 oz box of Orzo Pasta
- 4 cups of Chicken Broth
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese + more for topping
- 2 cups Spinach
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Heat oven to 425
- 2
Cut Chicken into Cubes and place in a 9x13 dish.
- 3
Pour in entire 8oz jar of Sundried Tomatoes with oil, 3 oz of Tomato Paste, and Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning, Paprika, Salt and Pepper. Mix well with tongs to combine and then push into a single layer in the pan.
- 4
Pour box of Orzo on top of the chicken, do not stir. Then pour on 4 cups of Chicken Broth, do not stir.
- 5
Cover with foil and bake on 425 for 35 minutes. While the dish is baking, take 3/4 cup of heavy cream out of the fridge so it will come to room temp.
- 6
When 35 minutes are up, remove pan from oven and uncover. Add in 3/4 cup of heavy cream, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of spinach. Stir together to combine. Top with extra parmesan cheese and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
- 7
Enjoy! Let me know if you make it. Cheers!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs both work. Thighs stay a little juicier, but breasts are leaner and just as good here since they cook in all that sauce. Cut them into even bite-sized cubes so everything finishes at the same time.
Sundried tomatoes: Use the kind packed in oil, and do not drain it. That oil is full of garlic and herb flavor and it is doing a lot of work in this dish. The 8 oz jar is the sweet spot.
Orzo: Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta you will find next to the other pasta at the store. Do not swap in rice or a larger pasta shape, since the liquid ratio and bake time are dialed in specifically for orzo.
Heavy cream: This is what makes the sauce luxe and creamy. Half-and-half works in a pinch but will be thinner. Pull the cream out of the fridge when the dish goes into the oven so it is at room temperature when you stir it in.
Spinach: Fresh baby spinach wilts right into the dish at the end. You can use more than the recipe calls for; it cooks down to almost nothing.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo will keep soaking up liquid as it sits, so when you reheat, add a splash of chicken broth or a little cream and warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.
I do not recommend freezing this one. Cream-based pasta sauces can turn grainy after thawing, and the orzo softens too much. If you want to meal prep it, it is better to make it fresh and refrigerate.
What to Serve With Chicken Orzo Bake
This is a complete meal on its own thanks to the chicken, pasta, and spinach, but if you want to round out the table, a few easy sides go a long way. A crisp green salad with a simple vinaigrette cuts through the richness beautifully. Warm crusty bread or garlic bread is perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce. And if you want another vegetable, roasted broccoli, asparagus, or green beans all pair nicely.
💡 Tips for Success
- Cut your chicken into even, bite-sized cubes so everything cooks at the same rate.
- Do not stir after you add the orzo and broth. Letting it sit in layers helps the pasta cook evenly and keeps the bottom from getting gummy.
- Take your heavy cream out of the fridge when the dish goes in the oven. Room-temp cream keeps the sauce silky and stops it from seizing.
- Use the oil from the sundried tomato jar. That is where a ton of the flavor lives, so do not drain it.
- If the orzo still has a little liquid when the timer goes off, give it 2 to 3 more minutes uncovered. It thickens up fast as it rests.
- Add the spinach at the very end so it just wilts into the dish instead of overcooking.
- Let the bake rest 5 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens and the orzo finishes absorbing the liquid so every scoop is creamy, not soupy.
- Grate your own parmesan from a block if you can. It melts smoother than the pre-shredded kind, which has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken?
You can. Since the orzo needs the full bake time to cook through, stir already-cooked chicken in at the end with the cream and parmesan so it does not dry out.
Can I make Chicken Orzo Bake ahead of time?
It is best fresh, but it reheats really well. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and add a splash of broth or cream when you reheat since the orzo soaks up liquid as it sits.
What can I use instead of heavy cream?
Half-and-half works in a pinch, though the sauce will be a little thinner. For a lighter version, use whole milk plus an extra sprinkle of parmesan to help it thicken.
Can I freeze it?
I do not recommend it. Cream-sauce pasta can get grainy after freezing and the orzo softens too much. This one is best fresh or refrigerated.
What should I serve with chicken orzo bake?
It is a full meal on its own with the spinach, but a simple green salad, crusty bread, or roasted vegetables round it out nicely.
Can I add more vegetables?
Absolutely. Mushrooms, peas, or chopped asparagus all work. Stir quick-cooking veg in at the end with the spinach, or roast heartier veg separately and fold them in.
Why is my orzo mushy or gummy?
That usually happens from stirring too early or using more liquid than called for. Add the orzo and broth in layers without stirring, measure the broth exactly, and let the dish rest before serving.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes. Thighs stay a bit juicier and are very forgiving. Just cube them the same size as you would the breasts so they cook evenly in the bake time.
Made this recipe?
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