Name: Chicken Orzo Bake Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts (or 1 1/4 lbs, (about 3 cups cooked chopped chicken)); 1 Tbsp olive oil; 3 cups low sodium chicken stock; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 12-16 oz orzo* (depending on the brand (Dellalo = 16 oz, Barilla = 12 oz, see notes*)); 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves (2-3 oz, coarsely chopped); 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes*; 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese; 2/3 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated or shredded); 5 medium garlic cloves (minced, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder); 1 Tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed from 1/2 lemon); 1 tsp fine sea salt (plus more to season chicken); 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (plus more to season chicken); 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Method

5 steps

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray or grease with butter.
Prep Chicken: If you aren’t using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Sauté chicken breast for about 4 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through to 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove to a cutting board and cool for 5 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
Assemble the Casserole: Into the prepared 9x13 casserole, add chicken stock, heavy cream, orzo, chicken, spinach, tomatoes, half of your mozzarella, half of your parmesan cheese (save the remaining cheese for the topping), garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir everything to combine, then flatten the top into an even layer.
Bake: Add the remaining parmesan and mozzarella over the top of the casserole, then bake uncovered in the preheated oven at 375°F for 40-45 minutes or until the orzo is tender or your desired doneness.
Rest Casserole: Once the dish is out of the oven, let it rest and thicken up for 10 minutes, then stir gently to combine and enjoy!