This one-pan, Mediterranean-style Broccoli Chicken Orzo Bake with creamy feta cheese, lemon, and dill is easy and delicious! A comforting weeknight dinner, ready in under 1 hour!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Casserole!
One reader, Paula, says: “Easy and delicious. LOVE these one-pot meals you’ve so cleverly created. Made this last night and another winner winner chicken dinner! Orzo & broccoli cooked beautifully in the broth and chicken was done to perfection. Will make again and again.”⭐⭐⭐⭐️
Easy, delicious, made with simple ingredients. Tender chicken breast and healthy broccoli are combined with orzo pasta, garlic, lemon, and feta cheese, all made in one pan.
Healthy Comfort Food. It’s comforting and cozy, loaded up with broccoli and lightened up. And hopefully, you will have leftovers because they are just as delicious, if not more so.
Includes a few chefs’ tips! A common mistake with chicken casseroles is not seasoning or browning the chicken first, which can result in a bland dish. This step is essential for creating optimal flavor and texture!
Chicken Orzo Bake Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Cut into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Orzo: A small type of pasta that looks like rice—perfect for baked dishes like this.
- Broccoli: A great way to sneak in healthy veggies and add vibrant color!
- Garlic cloves: Adds savory, aromatic flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: Adjust the amount based on your spice preference.
- Lemon juice and zest: Infuses the orzo with lemon flavor, brightening the whole dish.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a bit of tanginess and depth.
- Onion powder: For deep savory flavor and complexity.
- Chicken broth: Adds rich, savory depth while aiding in cooking the orzo and broccoli.
- Feta cheese: Adds rich and creamy texture.
- Fresh dill: For a fresh, summery taste!
Variations
- Protein: Sub boneless, skinless chicken thighs or use a rotisserie chicken. Or for a vegetarian version, use chickpeas or white beans, like cannellini beans, instead.
- Add or sub veggies: Zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or fresh spinach can be added during the last 10 minutes of baking for an extra dose of veggies, or instead of the broccoli.
- Swap the cheese: Goat cheese or ricotta are other cheeses you can try as a sub to feta. You can also add parmesan cheese!
- Add extra fresh herbs: Fresh parsley, basil, or oregano are all great additions or substitutes. Or use a mix of a few of them!
- Make it creamier: Add a splash of heavy cream if you’re craving something with an extra rich flavor.
How to Make Chicken Orzo Bake
Preheat the oven to 375F. Warm the chicken broth in a pot on the stove.
1. Sear the chicken. Warm a large skillet or cast iron skillet with extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear seasoned chicken until golden brown on each side. Avoid fiddling with the chicken. Let it develop a crust—this is the secret to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
2. Sauté garlic. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and saute for one minute, then turn off the heat.
3. Assemble the pan. Use your sauté pan or a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Place the chicken in the pan, then add the orzo, lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon, onion powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Pour the hot chicken broth into the pan over the orzo mixture and stir to incorporate.
4. Bake. Add the broccoli and feta (reserving some for garnishing the top). Cover the pan with foil and bake 20-25 minutes.
5. Garnish. Top the pan with fresh dill, feta cheese, and lemon slices.
Chef’s Tips
- Use hot broth. Warm the broth on the stovetop before pouring it over the orzo to help everything cook evenly.
- Avoid over-baking. Check doneness at 20 minutes. Orzo cooks quickly, and you want to preserve a slight bite.
- Zest your lemon before juicing. This is much easier and avoids squashing the fruit!
Storage
Leftover Chicken Orzo Bake will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of liquid for 2-3 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
This dish can also be baked ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Make your Chicken Orzo Bake a meal by serving it with a simple salad, like Caesar Salad or Spring Greens, or with a side of vegetables, like Blistered Green Beans, Herby Smashed Potatoes, or Sautéed Asparagus. Pair with warm pita or crusty sourdough to soak up the lemony broth.
FAQs
Yes! This works by pouring hot chicken broth into the baking pan and covering the dish with foil.
It should take about 20-25 minutes. Check after 20 minutes for doneness. You want to preserve a bit of tender texture.
Once cooked, a cup of dry orzo yields about 2 cups of cooked orzo pasta.
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes!
Broccoli Chicken Orzo Bake
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6
- Category: Chicken, Weeknight Dinner, pasta recipe, Casserole
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cozy one-pan Chicken Orzo Bake with broccoli, feta, and lemon is easy and delicious! A comforting weeknight dinner, ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on your spice preference
- 1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 1 lemon’s worth)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth, heated
- 8 ounces feta cheese, divided
- 3/4 pound broccoli, chopped small
- Garnish: 1/4 cup fresh dill and lemon wedges
Instructions
- Set oven to 375°F.
- Season the chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, and sear it in an oiled skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on each side. Don’t fiddle, let them sear and develop a crust- this is the key to prevent sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
- Your choice to bake in the skillet or in a 9 x13-inch baking dish. Along with the chicken, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, onion powder, salt, pepper, and uncooked orzo.
- Pour hot chicken broth into the pan over the orzo mixture and stir to incorporate well.
- Add chopped broccoli and feta (save some feta to sprinkle on for garnish). Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender.
- Uncover, garnish with additional feta, and brown the top if desired. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 278
- Sugar: 8.5 g
- Sodium: 674.5 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.3 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 67.9 mg
The flavors were good but I had the same issue as some of the other reviewers in that the orzo did not absorb all the broth.
Strange, curious what kind of orzo you used Jamie? Glad it taste good.
This sounds delicious and will be making soon. If I wanted to combine equal parts thigh and breast meat, would the cooking time differ? Thanks!
Hi Dahlia, Chicken thighs get more tender with longer cook time where as chicken breast can dry out if cooked too long.
This turned out perfectly- a delicious easy dinner, that my kids even liked!
So glad you gave it a try! Always a win when the kids like it. 🙂
Made this with gluten free macaroni and it had a little too much liquid, so I’ll probably toss in a little quinoa next time too. Also, I used giant garlic cloves and all the juice from a giant lemon and it was…zesty. Will make again, with adjustments. 🙂
Good to hear Lydia, glad you are playing around with gluten free!
What can we substitute for the orzo if we are GF? I love your recipes but can not eat pasta.
There is gluten free orzo, I think Jovial brand is a good one. You could also try it with quinoa. We haven’t experimented with either of these, so may take some tweaking. Let us know what you try!