A cheesy chicken orzo casserole with broccoli bakes entirely in one dish! The simple and cozy dinner comes together with just 10-minutes of prep time, thanks to the convenient dump-and-bake method. Perfect for busy weeknights!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo Casserole
- Ingredients
- The Best Casserole Dish for this Creamy Chicken Orzo Casserole
- How to Make this Easy Chicken Orzo Casserole
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Chicken Orzo Casserole Recipe
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Orzo Casserole with Broccoli Recipe
If you’re looking for even more dump-and-bake recipes, don’t miss this dump-and-bake shrimp Alfredo pasta, this tuscan chicken pasta, chicken tzatziki, our pesto Alfredo chicken pasta, a pan of dump-and-bake chicken penne pasta, or this dump-and-bake cajun sausage pasta, too!
Why You’ll Love this Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo Casserole
- One Dish. Nobody wants to wash a sink full of dishes at the end of a meal! Fortunately, you can stir everything together in a single baking dish, minimizing the pots and pans that you have to clean later.
- Minimal Prep. It might not be fancy, but you’re going to appreciate the dump-and-bake method of cooking on busy weeknights! You don’t even have to cook pasta, sauté veggies, or prep any ingredients, and the noodles come out tender and perfect every time!
- Quick. Since orzo is a small pasta, it cooks faster than other shapes. This means less time in the oven, and dinner on the table sooner.
- Versatile. Omit the chicken and make it vegetarian, use pre-cooked (or frozen) meatballs, or try sliced fully-cooked Italian sausage. You can also play around with different vegetables, taking advantage of the ingredients that you have on hand.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a one-pot chicken and orzo casserole. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken broth: adds flavor to the pasta and sauce as the ingredients cook together in the pan. Chicken stock also works well.
- Condensed cream of chicken soup and condensed cream of celery soup: the binders that bring the casserole together and give the sauce a creamy texture. I typically use the Campbell’s Healthy Request variety, but any similar option will work well. You can pick your favorite flavor of condensed soups to use here. For instance, swap out the cream of celery for cream of mushroom soup.
- Parsley flakes, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder: pantry staples that add earthy, savory flavor to the dish.
- Broccoli: fresh florets will soften in the oven while the pasta cooks.
- Chicken: you’ll need cooked chicken that’s shredded or diced into bite-size pieces. Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or see my notes below for other options.
- Orzo: a type of pasta that is shaped like rice. Do not substitute with rice, pearled barley, or another grain in this recipe.
- Lemon juice: a fresh acidic note to brighten up the casserole at the end. You can add some fresh lemon zest as well if you’d like a stronger lemon flavor.
- Cheddar cheese: the perfect addition to a chicken and broccoli casserole. Feel free to sub with just about any other cheese that you like. For instance, try shredded mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack, American, Colby, Pepper Jack, or even some Parmesan cheese.
The Best Chicken to Use
You’ll need cooked chicken for this simple chicken orzo casserole, and a variety of options will work. Pick the most convenient method for you:
- Boiled and Pulled Chicken: Boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs until cooked through (about 15 minutes). When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken and use in the recipe.
- Rotisserie Chicken: This is a great shortcut! Purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shred the meat, and use in the recipe as instructed.
- Purchase Cooked Chicken: Instead of a rotisserie chicken, you can purchase cooked pulled chicken or cooked diced chicken at the grocery store.
- Leftover Chicken: If you have leftover grilled or baked chicken, put those extras to good use in this casserole.
- Canned Chicken: Yep, you can even use canned chicken in this casserole!
The Best Casserole Dish for this Creamy Chicken Orzo Casserole
We rounded up the best casserole dishes you can buy, including 2 that I personally own and love! While I use different-sized casserole dishes for different dump-and-bake meals, the Staub Ceramic Rectangular Baking Dish earned the top spot. You can buy it on Amazon for $78.95 or at Target for $79.95. That said, I also love the beautiful, Scandinavian style of the Dansk Kobenstyle Baker shown here, available for $135.
The total baking time for this recipe will vary depending on your individual oven, and on the type of dish that you choose. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The orzo should be tender and much of the liquid should be absorbed.
How to Make this Easy Chicken Orzo Casserole
It doesn’t get much easier than a dump-and-bake chicken broccoli and cheese casserole! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Combine the broth, soups, seasoning, broccoli, chicken, and uncooked orzo in a greased baking dish.
- Cover tightly and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice, top with cheese, and bake for 5 more minutes.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
Since this casserole includes pasta, a creamy sauce, and veggies, you’ve basically got an entire meal in one pan. If you’d like to round out the main course with a side salad or other options, here are some easy sides that go well with the shredded chicken orzo casserole:
- Garlic Bread or Breadsticks
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Cream Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- No-Knead Cast Iron Focaccia, Crusty French Baguette, Focaccia Bread, No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, Soft Dinner Rolls, or Homemade Crescent Rolls
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread
- Kale Apple Salad, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Wedge Salad with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Caesar Salad, Marinated Vegetable Salad, or our favorite House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Fennel Salad with Apples and Creamy Cider Dressing
- Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower or Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Tomatoes and Onions
- Tomato Salad with Basil and Balsamic
- Crock Pot Mushrooms
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even leave it covered in the fridge overnight before baking. The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to decrease the baking time slightly. You don’t want to overcook the casserole or you’ll end up with gummy, mushy pasta.
- Storage: This casserole is best enjoyed immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
- I do not recommend freezing this casserole because pasta has a tendency to get gummy and mushy when thawed.
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have orzo? You can substitute with other similar short pasta shapes such as penne, ziti, ditalini, rotini, elbows, or medium shells. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as orzo (about 7-8 minutes recommended on the package for al dente) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- Cooking for a Smaller Family: Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square pan. Check the pasta after 25 minutes, as it may be done slightly sooner than the larger pan.
- Add extra vegetables. You can stir frozen peas or fresh spinach into the dish at the end (before adding the cheese), or include asparagus or zucchini at the start.
Tips for the Best Chicken Orzo Casserole Recipe
- If you’re using unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth and/or Healthy Request or reduced-sodium condensed soup, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the casserole mixture along with the other seasonings. The pasta needs a little bit of salted liquid to absorb as it bakes for the best flavor.
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and your individual oven. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the orzo. The pasta should be tender and much of the liquid should be absorbed.
- Gently stir the orzo by fluffing with a fork. A larger spoon may compress the individual pieces, causing it to clump together.
- Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the orzo will become mushy.
- Make it spicy by stirring in some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs like fresh basil or fresh parsley for a bright, fresh touch. A sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese is also delicious!
More Dump-and-Bake Chicken Casserole Recipes to Try
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
50 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken and Wild Rice Pilaf
1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
45 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Orzo Casserole with Broccoli
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
This creamy, cheesy chicken orzo casserole is an easy dinner in one dish with just 10 minutes of prep!
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 2 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken (such as meat from a rotisserie chicken)
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs, such as basil, oregano, and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish, whisk together the broth, condensed soups, parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir in the broccoli, chicken, and uncooked orzo. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover; stir the orzo gently with a fork. At this point you should check the orzo to make sure that it is al dente (firm but with a tender bite). If it’s still too hard after 30 minutes, just cover the dish again and return it to the oven for a few more minutes until the orzo is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Stir in the lemon juice. Sprinkle the cheese over top.
- Bake uncovered for about 5 more minutes (or until the cheese melts and the pasta is tender). If you want the top crispy and brown, place it under the broiler for a minute or two (keep a close eye on it so that it doesn’t burn). Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan or chopped fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- If you’re using unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth and/or Healthy Request or reduced-sodium condensed soup, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the casserole mixture along with the other seasonings. The pasta needs a little bit of salted liquid to absorb as it bakes for the best flavor.
- Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and your individual oven. Glass or ceramic baking dishes will take longer than metal pans, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the orzo. The pasta should be tender and much of the liquid should be absorbed.
- Gently stir the orzo by fluffing with a fork. A larger spoon may compress the individual pieces, causing it to clump together.
- Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the orzo will become mushy.
- Make it spicy by stirring in some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs like fresh basil or fresh parsley for a bright, fresh touch. A sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese is also delicious!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the casseroleCalories: 414kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 25gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 749mgPotassium: 731mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 573IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 2mg
My relative is struggling to find things they can eat right now, but orzo and broccoli are two of their favorite foods. I made a variation of this dish and they were able to eat a large portion, so thank you for the recipe! I omitted the meat, added some sliced green onion, and added a little white wine to the broth and soup.
In case anyone wants to make a half recipe, this is what I did: I used an 8×10 dish, 1 cup + 1 T orzo, 1 can cream of chicken soup, enough broccoli to cover the dish, and half of everything else. Cooking time was the same – 30 minutes was just right.
Thank you for sharing your variation! It’s very nice of you to be making food for your relative. We’re glad you were able to make the recipe work for you and enjoyed it!
My roommate is a vegetarian and i am a meat & veggie eater, so i cut the recipe in 1/2. I made a square pan with the chicken, and 1 can of celery soup, and another square pan with no chicken & more veggies to replace the meat amount, and used 1 can mushroom soup. In both i used spaghetti pieces
We hope you enjoyed it, Cyndi!
Hi, I would love to make this to freeze for post partum. Do you suggest baking it first then freezing and reheating, or mixing everything with the orzo uncooked and freezeing then baking it fully after I thaw it. I do not have a microwave so I would be reheating it in the oven.
Hi Whitney,
Unfortunately, we don’t recommend freezing this recipe. The dairy doesn’t thaw well. We have lots of other freezer-friendly recipes you might enjoy!