One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Orzo

One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Orzo is a cheesy, easy dinner loaded with simple ingredients like chicken, orzo, carrots, and broccoli. This dish is perfect for a busy weeknight when things are hectic. Only one dish to clean for this satisfying one-pan dinner recipe. 

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR ORZO

Any of you have been around a while know how much this Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup is loved around here.

I thought why not create a skillet version of the dish, add some protein because hello, and make it all in one pan!

Truth is, I tried an oven version of this and it was fine but the skillet version turned out creamier and better!

HOW TO MAKE THIS

CAN I USE FROZEN CARROTS?

Yes. In fact, you can use frozen carrots, onions, or broccoli.

OTHER ONE-PAN DINNERS

• One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken
• Skillet Greek Chicken Recipe
• One-Pot Chicken Spaghetti
• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• One-Pan Chicken Fajita Rice
• Lasagna Soup
• One-Pan Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Skillet
• One-Pan Chicken Spinach and Orzo
• Creamy Chicken and Spinach

One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Orzo

Christy Denney

5 from 3 votes

One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Orzo is a cheesy, easy dinner loaded with simple ingredients like chicken, orzo, carrots, and broccoli. This one-pan meal can be ready in under 30 minutes!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  

½1x2x

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced finely
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, (I like to use Better than Buillion Chicken base)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Equipment

large skillet (I love this nontoxic one from GreenPan)

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet or pan (with a fitted lid used later), melt the butter and sautée the carrots and onions for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Once veggies soften push them to the side of the pan, increase the heat to medium high and add chicken to the pan.
• Brown the chicken pieces (the chicken will continue to cook later). Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute.
• Add the orzo, chicken broth, cream and broccoli to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Add about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper (or to taste). Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid.
• Cook mixture for about 10-12 minutes. Stir every few minutes, replacing the lid immediately after stirring.
• Continue to cook a few more minutes or until orzo is done. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and sprinkle the other 1 cup on top. Remove from heat and cover with a lid to let the cheese melt for 1-2 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

If you're using rotisserie chicken add the chicken at the end with the cheese just to heat it through.

You need a large skillet or pan with a higher edge for this dish to hold everything. I used a 12-inch skillet that had a slightly raised edge and it worked great.

 

Serving: 1/6 of recipe, Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 381mg, Potassium: 583mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 881IU, Vitamin C: 29mg, Calcium: 310mg, Iron: 1mg

Cuisine: American

Author: Christy Denney