⏲ 26 minutes
↓Jump to Recipe
This Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo is an easy one-pot dinner made with tender chicken, fresh broccoli, orzo pasta, chicken broth, and plenty of cheese. It’s ready in under 30 minutes using just 7 simple ingredients.
We love this for busy weeknights because the chicken, broccoli, and orzo all cook in one pan. I usually make it with sharp cheddar, but it’s easy to change the cheese or vegetables using whatever you have on hand.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick: It’s ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- One pot: The chicken, broccoli, and orzo all cook in the same pan for easy cleanup.
- Complete meal: You get chicken, broccoli, and pasta all in one dish.
- Simple ingredients: You only need 7 basic ingredients plus water.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli works best in this recipe. I don’t recommend frozen broccoli because it may add too much liquid as it cooks.
- Cheese: I use sharp cheddar cheese in the dish shown here, but you can use your favorite shredded cheese or a combination of cheeses.
- Chicken broth: I use low-sodium chicken broth so I can better control the amount of salt in the finished dish.
- Seasonings: This dish is simply seasoned with salt and black pepper.
How to Make Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Cut the chicken into 1″ chunks and cut the florets off the broccoli.
- Put the water and broth into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in the chicken and orzo and return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high to medium heat and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli and simmer for about 6 minutes longer or until pasta and broccoli are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, again stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper and shredded cheese. Serve immediately.
Tips for Making Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Stir several times during the cooking process to ensure it doesn’t stick.
- Keep the mixture at a steady simmer so the orzo cooks and absorbs the liquid in about 12 minutes.
Variations
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar is our favorite, but Parmesan, Asiago, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a combination will work.
- Vegetables: You can swap the broccoli for peas, corn, zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, or asparagus. Adjust when you add the vegetable based on how quickly it cooks.
Storage and Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm up individual servings in the microwave.
More One-Pot Pasta Recipes
For even more one pan dinners check out my collection of 15 One-Pan Family Dinners.
Love this recipe?
Leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
One Pan Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Orzo
This easy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo is a one-pot dinner made with tender chicken, fresh broccoli, orzo pasta, and cheddar cheese. Ready in under 30 minutes with just 7 simple ingredients, this chicken broccoli orzo recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you need a quick, cheesy family dinner.
Like my recipes? Follow me on Google! Add Mindy’s Cooking Obsession as a Preferred Source to see more of my recipes in your Google search results.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- ½ cup water
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast one small breast
- ½ + ⅛ cup orzo
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1" chunks and cut florets off of the broccoli crowns.8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, 2 cups broccoli florets
- Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.1 cup chicken broth, ½ cup water
- Stir in chicken and orzo and return to a boil, reduce heat to medium to medium-high heat and simmer for 6 minutes, add broccoli and simmer for about 6 minutes longer, or until pasta and broccoli are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.½ + ⅛ cup orzo
- Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper and cheese. Serve immediately.⅛ teaspoon pepper, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Notes
Stir several times during cooking to keep the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Keep the mixture at a steady simmer so the orzo cooks and absorbs most of the liquid in about 12 minutes.
Two tablespoons = ⅛ cup if you don’t have a ⅛ cup measure.
This recipe makes 2 generous servings. Double or triple the recipe if you’re feeding more people.
Nutrition information is approximate and will vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used.
Nutrition
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 887IU | Vitamin C: 83mg | Calcium: 265mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you like this recipe?Please leave a comment!
Wasn’t sure I would like the chicken cooked this way…but, I tried it
and absolutely loved it! Just delicious! I could eat this every week.
Thanks, so much, for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome! Thanks for commenting and reviewing.
Can I just cook the chicken separately. Do.not like it boiled. And how would I go.about the rest of the recipe?
You can cook the chicken in a skillet and then add it in at the end with the cheese. It should come out close to the same I think, but I have never done it that way.