If you’re looking for an easy dinner that requires minimal prep and cleanup, add this chicken broccoli orzo bake to your rotation.

Everything cooks together in one baking dish, including the uncooked chicken and dry orzo. There’s no boiling pasta or cooking the chicken separately.

And the real test? My son went back for seconds and asked me to make it again the following week.

As a registered dietitian and mom, these are the kinds of meals I rely on during busy weeks: simple, satisfying, realistic, and made with ingredients my family actually enjoys.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Broccoli Orzo Bake

This is one of those recipes that looks like you put more effort into dinner than you actually did.

• One baking dish: Less prep and fewer dishes.
• No precooking: The chicken and orzo both go into the dish uncooked.
• Easy to customize: Use chicken breast or thighs and fresh or frozen broccoli.
• Family-friendly: Creamy orzo, chicken, broccoli and plenty of cheddar cheese.
• Great for busy nights: Once it’s in the oven, you have about 30 minutes when you don’t have to think about dinner.

Fresh or Frozen Broccoli?

I used fresh broccoli when I made this recipe, but frozen broccoli is a great option if that’s what you have.

And as a dietitian, I’m all for using frozen vegetables. They’re nutritious, convenient, typically require zero chopping and can hang out in your freezer until you actually need them.

Especially during busy weeks, convenience matters.

How to Make Chicken Broccoli Orzo

Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Add the dry orzo, chicken broth, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to your baking dish and mix together. Then you’ll add the chicken breast and broccoli, stirring again until everything is evenly distributed in the pan. Make sure most of the orzo is submerged in the liquid.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and stir everything well. Make sure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F and check the orzo for doneness. If the orzo is still a little firm, add a splash of broth or milk, cover again and bake for another 5–10 minutes.

Stir in the shredded cheese and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken and the cheese will melt as it sits.

What to Serve With Chicken Broccoli Orzo

Technically, you’ve already got chicken, a grain and a vegetable all in one dish, so you really don’t need to add much.

But that doesn’t mean every member of your family is going to be equally excited about a bowl of chicken broccoli orzo.

If you’re feeding kids who may be unsure about it, try adding one or two familiar foods alongside the meal. That could be fruit, breadsticks, milk or whatever makes sense for your family.

And don’t automatically assume your child won’t eat it. Give them the opportunity to explore it without pressure and let them decide what and how much they want to eat.

Why I Love Dump-and-Bake Dinners

I’m a registered dietitian, but I’m also a mom feeding my own family on busy weeknights. I don’t think a family dinner needs to involve an hour of cooking or a sink full of dishes to be worthwhile.

That’s why I’ve been loving dump-and-bake dinners.

If these low-prep dinners are your thing too, try my Easy Ravioli Bake with Frozen Ravioli. It goes straight from the freezer to the baking dish with no boiling or thawing required.

You can put everything into one dish, get it into the oven and then walk away while dinner cooks. Spend that time helping with homework, hanging out with your kids, getting something else done or enjoying 30 minutes when nobody needs you. All valid choices.

Convenience foods and shortcuts aren’t something we need to feel guilty about. Sometimes they’re exactly what make a family meal possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

An Easy Dinner Worth Adding to the Rotation

Getting dinner on the table doesn’t have to be complicated.

This easy chicken broccoli orzo bake gives you chicken, broccoli and cheesy orzo in one dish with very little hands-on work. No boiling pasta. No precooking the chicken. And, most importantly, fewer dishes to wash afterward.

When a dinner is this easy and my kid asks me to make it again the next week, I’m calling that a keeper.

Easy Chicken Broccoli Orzo Bake

This easy Chicken Broccoli Orzo Bake is a one-dish dinner made with chicken, broccoli, orzo and cheddar cheese. The chicken and orzo go in uncooked for a simple dump-and-bake family dinner with minimal prep and cleanup.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 8

Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking dish
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups dry orzo
• 1-1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Add the dry orzo, chicken broth, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to your baking dish and mix together. Then you'll add the chicken breast and broccoli, stirring again until everything is evenly distributed in the pan. Make sure most of the orzo is submerged in the liquid.
• Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil and stir everything well. Make sure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F and check the orzo for doneness. If the orzo is still a little firm, add a splash of broth or milk, cover again and bake for another 5–10 minutes.
• Stir in the shredded cheese and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken and the cheese will melt as it sits.