Creamy Tuscan Chicken & Orzo Bake

Creamy, cheesy, and packed with cozy Italian-inspired flavor, this Creamy Tuscan Chicken & Orzo Bake is the kind of dinner that looks impressive without making a mess of the kitchen. Tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and orzo bake together in a rich garlic Parmesan sauce for an easy one-pan meal made for busy weeknights.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the Chicken & Orzo

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped.
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth.
• 1 cup heavy cream.
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach.
• 1 tablespoon butter.
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional.
• Fresh basil, for serving.
• Extra Parmesan, for serving.

Directions

1. Prep the oven.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease your baking pan.

2. Season the chicken.
Place the chicken in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.

3. Build the orzo base.
Add the uncooked orzo, minced garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes to the baking pan. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream and stir everything together.

4. Add the chicken.
Arrange the seasoned chicken evenly over the orzo mixture. Dot the top with butter and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.

5. Bake.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, stir the orzo around the chicken, and check that most of the liquid has been absorbed.

6. Make it creamy.
Stir in the Parmesan and fresh spinach. Return the pan to the oven uncovered for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and creamy and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

7. Finish and serve.
Let the bake rest for 5 minutes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. Finish with fresh basil and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan before serving.

Tips

Orzo absorbs liquid quickly, so don't worry if the dish looks a little saucy when it first comes out of the oven. Give it a few minutes to rest and it will become rich and creamy.

For even more Tuscan-inspired flavor, add chopped artichoke hearts or swap some of the spinach for chopped kale. If the orzo becomes too thick before serving, stir in a splash of warm chicken broth or cream.

Cutting the chicken into evenly sized pieces helps everything cook at the same rate and makes this an easy scoop-and-serve dinner.

Phantom Tip: This is exactly the kind of recipe the Phantom Chef Bake & Go Pan was made for. Prep, bake, serve, and bring it straight to the table in one pan for an easy weeknight dinner with even easier cleanup.