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Finished cheesy chicken and broccoli orzo skillet fills a white double-handle skillet. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface and is surrounded by fresh parsley, a small ceramic bowl filled with chopped parsley, and a blue and white striped linen napkin. The skillet dinner has been garnished with chopped fresh parsley and ground black pepper.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Orzo Skillet

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main Dish, Chicken Recipes, Pasta Recipes
  • Method: Skillet Recipes, Stovetop, Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

There are few things more feel-good & nostalgic than Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Orzo! This one-skillet dinner is quick & easy to throw together any night of the week, & the whole family will obsess over its creamy, cheesy, & classic flavor. 

One of the reasons you’ll love this recipe so much is the fact that it comes together in just one skillet – sear juicy bites of chicken breast, toast orzo pasta, & build a rich chicken broth sauce with flavorful aromatics. From there, top it off with tender broccoli & loads of shredded cheddar, then bake the chicken and orzo skillet to creamy, cheesy perfection. 

It’s simple-yet-flavorful, totally creamy & cheesy, & it comes together with just 30 minutes of active cooking. Weeknight cooking does not get better than that! 

Be sure to check the Recipe Notes, below, for meal prep tips!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 heaping teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo (roughly 9 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (see Recipe Notes)
  • 2 teaspoons Zoup! Good, Really Good® Culinary Concentrate™ Chicken Bone Broth whisked into 3 cups hot water
  • 1 medium head broccoli or cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (roughly 12 ounces or 4 cups florets)
  • 6 ounces sharp cheddar, freshly grated
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Gather & prep all ingredients according to Ingredients List, above – once you begin cooking, this chicken and broccoli orzo skillet comes together pretty quickly so it’s helpful to get any chopping & measuring done ahead of time (e.g. dice the onion, cut the broccoli florets, grate the cheddar, etc.). Place everything within arm’s reach of the stove.Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Orzo Skillet ingredients arranged on a creamy white textured surface: unsalted butter, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, yellow onion, garlic, mustard powder, orzo, dry white wine, Zoup! Chicken Bone Broth Concentrate, broccoli, and sharp cheddar cheese.
  2. Brown the chicken: Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to an 11-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Season the diced chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Once the butter is hot & melted, add the chicken to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden & browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate & set aside. (The chicken will not be cooked through at this point, which is totally fine & expected!)How to make Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Orzo Skillet, step 2: brown the chicken. Bite-sized pieces of seasoned chicken brown in the bottom of a white double-handle skillet. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  3. Cook the aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet used to brown the chicken. Once hot & melted, add the onion, seasoning with a pinch of kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened & translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic & mustard powder. Cook 30 seconds – 1 minute longer, until fragrant.How to make chicken and broccoli orzo, step 3: cook the aromatics. Bite-sized pieces of seasoned chicken brown in the bottom of a white double-handle skillet. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  4. Toast the orzo & deglaze the skillet: Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-low. Stir in the orzo. Toast the orzo 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until nutty & fragrant. Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high, bringing the wine to a simmer, then cook 4-5 minutes or until reduced completely.How to make chicken and broccoli orzo, step 4: Toast the orzo. Raw orzo pasta is stirred into aromatics in a white double-handle skillet to allow the orzo to toast. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  5. Build the chicken and broccoli orzo skillet: Add the broccoli florets & browned chicken from Step 2  to the skillet. Pour in the prepared chicken broth. Stir to combine well. Cook 3-5 minutes, just until the skillet comes to a simmer.  How to make chicken and broccoli orzo, step 5: Build the chicken and broccoli orzo skillet. Broccoli florets and browned chicken are added to toasted orzo pasta and cooked aromatics in a white double-handle skillet. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  6. Bake the chicken and broccoli orzo skillet: Transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook 15 minutes, until the orzo is tender. Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the skillet, then return to the oven to bake 5 minutes longer, until melted. Finished cheesy chicken and broccoli orzo skillet fills a white double-handle skillet. The skillet sits atop a creamy white textured surface and is surrounded by fresh parsley, a small ceramic bowl filled with chopped parsley, and a blue and white striped linen napkin. The skillet dinner has been garnished with chopped fresh parsley and ground black pepper.
  7. Serve: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Allow to cool slightly as desired, then serve. Enjoy! 

Notes

  • Ingredients & Equipment Notes:
    • White wine substitute: I love using white wine in this recipe as it creates another layer of rich flavor & adds a little bit of brightness to help balance the richness of the creamy orzo. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, substitute with extra chicken broth or water. If you have a lemon on hand, you can squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the skillet to help recreate the balanced brightness of wine. 
    • No oven-safe skillet? If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, you can bake the cheesy chicken and broccoli orzo in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Prepare according to Steps 1-5 of Recipe Directions, above, then transfer the orzo bake mixture to your prepared baking dish. Bake & serve as detailed in Step 6-7, above. 
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover cheesy chicken broccoli orzo will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
  • 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this cheesy chicken broccoli orzo skillet comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance – it takes 10 minutes, tops – & you can jump straight into cooking during the week. Simply dice 1 large yellow onion & cut 1 medium head broccoli into bite-sized florets. Transfer to individual airtight containers & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (>10 minutes active)

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-orzo-skillet/