Best 6 Zesty Chicken Orzo Casserole Recipes

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Indulge in the delightful flavors of Zesty Chicken Orzo Casserole, a culinary masterpiece that combines tender chicken, plump orzo pasta, and a vibrant blend of seasonings. This delectable dish is a symphony of textures and tastes, with every bite offering a burst of zesty goodness. Dive into the creamy and flavorful sauce, featuring a harmonious balance of tangy lemon, aromatic garlic, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. Experience the perfect harmony of juicy chicken, al dente orzo, and a medley of colorful vegetables, all nestled in a casserole dish and baked to golden perfection. Discover the secrets behind this tantalizing dish with our step-by-step recipe, including tips for achieving the perfect balance of flavors and textures. But that's not all! Embark on a culinary journey with our additional recipe variations, offering exciting twists on this classic casserole. Explore the vibrant flavors of Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Casserole, featuring sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Indulge in the comforting warmth of Creamy Mushroom Chicken Orzo Casserole, where sautéed mushrooms add an earthy richness to the dish. And for a lighter option, try the vibrant Lemon Herb Chicken Orzo Casserole, where fresh herbs and a touch of lemon zest create a refreshing and flavorful experience. Let your taste buds savor the zestiness of Zesty Chicken Orzo Casserole and its delightful variations – a culinary adventure that will leave you craving for more.

Let's cook with our recipes!

GARLIC-BUTTER ORZO CHICKEN CASSEROLE



Garlic-Butter Orzo Chicken Casserole image

Find 20 minutes and this luscious, Caprese salad-inspired, chicken casserole can be tonight's dinner. The trick to the quick prep is coating the raw ingredients with rich and aromatic seasonings before baking. The chicken breasts get rubbed with olive oil, Italian seasoning and a dash of red pepper flakes and placed atop a garlicky, buttery bed of orzo and tomatoes. Then the casserole gets sealed up tight with foil, so the flavors can concentrate and meld in the oven. It won't take long before you're enjoying the savory aroma-and flavor-of this dish!

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 1h35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 cup uncooked orzo or rosamarina pasta
1 cup Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 oz each)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread uncooked orzo evenly in baking dish.
  • Add broth, melted butter, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper to orzo in baking dish; stir. Spread tomatoes evenly over mixture.
  • In large bowl, mix oil, Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Add chicken; turn to coat. Place chicken evenly over tomatoes; cover with foil. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut, and chicken and mixture are both heated to at least 165°F in center.
  • Remove foil, and sprinkle chicken with mozzarella cheese; bake uncovered 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with basil.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 530, Carbohydrate 34 g, Cholesterol 140 mg, Fat 2 1/2, Fiber 3 g, Protein 51 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, ServingSize 1 Chicken Breast and About 1 Cup Orzo, Sodium 970 mg, Sugar 3 g, TransFat 1/2 g

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN AND ORZO CASSEROLE



Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo Casserole image

Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King

Categories     main-dish

Time 55m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups orzo
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 small to medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • For the orzo: Whisk together the stock, butter, salt, cornstarch, dill, lemon zest and juice and garlic in a bowl. Mix in the orzo.
  • For the chicken: In a separate bowl, mix together the coriander, salt and pepper. Coat the chicken all over with the seasoning.
  • Pour the stock/orzo mixture into a glass 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken breasts, laying them at an angle so all but the tops of the breasts are submerged. Shingle the lemon slices in between the chicken breasts.
  • Bake, uncovered, until the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Top with the chopped parsley before serving.

GREEK CHICKEN ORZO CASSEROLE



Greek Chicken Orzo Casserole image

This Greek-inspired dish, featuring chicken, spinach, oregano, feta cheese crumbles and fresh lemon, proves that casseroles can be lighter and brighter without sacrificing taste.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 1h15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 package (16 oz) uncooked orzo pasta
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic diced tomatoes, drained
1 bag (5 oz) baby spinach
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup Progresso™ reduced sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 lb chicken tenders, cut in 1-inch pieces (about 11 tenders)
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
  • Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix tomatoes, spinach, about half of the cheese, the olive oil and oregano; stir in cooked pasta. Spoon mixture into baking dish. Drizzle broth over pasta mixture. In same bowl, mix chicken and seasoning until well coated. Place chicken pieces over orzo mixture; cover with foil.
  • Bake 45 minutes; remove foil, top with remaining cheese. Bake 4 to 5 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F). Top with grated lemon peel and green onions.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 440, Carbohydrate 52 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Fat 2 1/2, Fiber 3 g, Protein 26 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 770 mg, Sugar 3 g, TransFat 0 g

ZESTY CHICKEN WITH ORZO (FOR FREEZER MENUS)



Zesty Chicken With Orzo (For Freezer Menus) image

A recipe inspired by Betty Crocker, modified to be used by my friends and me in our once-a-month freezer meal prep. The ingredients are pre-assembled, frozen, then cooked fresh the night you want them. For the frozen vegetables, I find that a pre-made combination of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots works well, but any veggies that would cook in the same amount of time would work fine. Orzo is a fun pasta many people have never tried - it comes out very creamy in this recipe.

Provided by Troicook

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 35m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

4 chicken breast halves
1 lb frozen mixed vegetables
3 tablespoons zesty Italian dressing (I like Wishbone)
1 cup orzo pasta
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
16 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Add chicken to a 1 qt freezer bag, vegetables and 3T dressing to a second qt bag, and pasta to a snack size bag. Squeeze out air, seal, and label with a Sharpie marker. Place in freezer.
  • Remove the bags from the freezer and defrost when you are ready to prepare the meal.
  • Heat oil in skillet over med-high. Cook chicken in oil, turning once, for about 10 minutes until brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
  • Add broth and water to skillet; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; heat to boiling. Cook uncovered about 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vegetables and dressing.
  • Add chicken; sprinkle with pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken juices are no longer pink.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 433.6, Fat 15.1, SaturatedFat 3.3, Cholesterol 46.4, Sodium 318.7, Carbohydrate 49.2, Fiber 5.9, Sugar 1.8, Protein 26.7

ZESTY CHICKEN CASSEROLE



Zesty Chicken Casserole image

Broccoli, chicken and rice get a little "zip" from Italian salad dressing. Anyone who favors food with lots of flavor will enjoy this dish.-Dianne Spurlock, Dayton, Ohio

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h10m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1-1/4 cups water
3/4 cup process cheese sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup 2% milk
Fresh red currants, optional

Steps:

  • Place rice in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with the broccoli, onion, celery, parsley and salt. Arrange chicken over vegetables. , In a large saucepan, combine the soup, water, cheese sauce, salad dressing and milk. Cook and stir until cheese sauce is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over chicken. , Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 170°. Garnish with red currants if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 508 calories, Fat 20g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 98mg cholesterol, Sodium 1739mg sodium, Carbohydrate 42g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 37g protein.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE ONE-POT WITH ORZO



Chicken cacciatore one-pot with orzo image

Enjoy comfort food at its best with this chicken cacciatore. The orzo soaks up the flavours of the chicken and tomatoes to make an unctuous pasta bake

Provided by Anna Glover

Categories     Dinner, Main course, Supper

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 tbsp olive oil
4-6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 onion , finely sliced
2 garlic cloves , sliced
250ml red wine
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
2 rosemary sprigs
small bunch of parsley , stalks and leaves separated, finely chopped
2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp capers (optional)
handful of pitted green olives
300g orzo , rinsed (to keep it from getting too sticky when baked)

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub 1 tbsp oil over the chicken and season well, then put skin-side up in an ovenproof casserole dish or roasting tin and bake for 20-25 mins until crisp and golden, but not cooked all the way though. Remove from the dish and put on a plate.
  • Add the remaining oil to the dish, mixing it with the chicken fat. Tip in the onion and garlic, then bake for 5-8 mins until the onion is tender.
  • Pour in the wine, stirring it with the onions, then leave to evaporate slightly in the residual heat before adding the bay, thyme, rosemary, parsley stalks and tomatoes. Dissolve the stock cube in 300ml boiling water and pour this in, then add the vinegar, capers, if using, olives and orzo. Stir well and season.
  • Nestle the chicken back in the pan, skin-side up, and roast for 20 mins until the sauce is thickened, the orzo is tender and the meat is cooked through. Give it a stir, then leave for 10 mins for the orzo to absorb the excess liquid. Scatter over the parsley leaves to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 573 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 61 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 11 grams sugar, Fiber 6 grams fiber, Protein 26 grams protein, Sodium 1.1 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • Use fresh ingredients: Fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices will give your casserole the best flavor.
  • Don't overcook the chicken: Overcooked chicken will be dry and tough. Cook it just until it is cooked through.
  • Use a variety of vegetables: This will add flavor, color, and texture to your casserole.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment: There are many different ways to make this casserole. Feel free to add your own favorite ingredients or seasonings.
  • Serve it with a side salad: A simple green salad is a great way to round out this meal.

Conclusion:

This Zesty Chicken Orzo Casserole is a delicious and easy-to-make meal that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It is also a great way to use up leftover chicken. The casserole is packed with flavor from the chicken, vegetables, and zesty sauce. It is also a hearty and satisfying meal that will keep you full all night long. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, give this Zesty Chicken Orzo Casserole a try.

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