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A bowl of baked cheesy orzo with chicken, the perfect dinner.

Baked Cheesy Orzo Recipe

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This baked cheesy orzo with chicken and asparagus dish makes a hearty main meal.
Course dinner
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 -8 servings
Calories 544
Author Cheryl Najafi

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees, coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray then set aside. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat then add the oil. When oil is hot, add chicken then cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme then cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add wine and continue cooking until liquid is reduced by half. Transfer chicken and wine mixture into a large bowl then cover to keep warm.
  • Return skillet to heat, which should be set to medium-high. Add chicken broth then let it come to a boil. Stir in orzo then return liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low then simmer orzo for 7 minutes—the orzo will not be cooked completely through at this point.
  • Cut cream cheese into 1" cubes then add to orzo. Stir until melted and completely combined then remove skillet from heat and stir in Italian blend cheese. Combine orzo and chicken mixture then stir to integrate the ingredients.
  • Fold asparagus into mixture then transfer into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top of casserole with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake 25–30 minutes until sides are bubbly and the top turns light golden brown. Let the casserole rest 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Notes

Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that’s fun to cook with and has tons of great flavor!

Nutrition

Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g