Make the most delicious chicken orzo bake tonight! This simple one-pot dish is ready in less than one hour, and it's a real family favorite.
Easy chicken orzo bake - a simple and comforting one-pot dinner for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. It's made with simple pantry ingredients, but the orzo makes it feel a bit special.
My kids absolutely love this dish - I've lost count of how many times I've made it over the past couple of years. Pasta and chicken are always a hit with children!
Just like this Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake, Chicken and Asparagus Bake, or Chicken Fusilli Pasta.
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Recipe ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: I had 6 of them (about 1.8 lbs/ 800 g).
Orzo is a type of small pasta shaped like rice. It's soft when cooked and great for soups, salads, or baked dishes. I also use it for this Creamy Tomato Orzo.
Lots of spices for seasoning the thighs and for the bake itself.
Other ingredients: Bacon, pepper, onion, garlic, chicken stock, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make chicken and orzo bake?
Step #1: Season the thighs.
Step #2: Brown the chicken pieces on both sides (in batches if necessary). Remove from the pan.
Step #3: Sautรฉ the onions until a bit softer, adding a splash of water if they're starting to catch.
Step #4: Add garlic, pepper, and smoked paprika and stir for a few minutes.
Step #5: Add tomato paste, tomatoes, basil, and stock. Bring to a boil.
Step #6: Add orzo, stir, nestle the thighs on top, and bake until the chicken is done and the pasta is cooked al dente.
Good to know!
If you don't have an oven-safe pan, brown the chicken and prepare the rest of the dish in a regular pan on the stove. Once everything is ready, transfer the orzo and tomato mixture to a baking dish, such as a ceramic or glass casserole. Spread it evenly, nestle the chicken on top, and bake as directed.
This Honey Harissa Chicken is made in the same pan and tastes seriously good!
Sugar: You might need it, depending on the acidity of the canned tomatoes. Taste the sauce and adjust if necessary.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Let the chicken orzo bake cool completely, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat portions in the microwave or the oven until hot.
This dish also freezes well - wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Chicken Orzo Bake
Equipment
- Dutch oven or another large, heavy-bottomed, and oven-safe dish, Note 1
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 1.8 lbs/ 800 g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ยพ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
Orzo bake:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 5-6 bacon slices chopped, 2.5 oz/ 75 g, Note 2
- 1 red bell pepper or pointed pepper, thin, small strips or small cubes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 14 oz7 400 g
- ยฝ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- ยฝ teaspoon granulated sugar Note 3
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ยผ cup orzo 9 oz/ 250 g
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Instructions
Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC.
- Season the chicken: Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil and all the spices in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat it evenly in the spice mixture.1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon oregano + 1 teaspoon thyme + ยพ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper + 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Sear the chicken: Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the pan. Brown the thighs on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan (you can place them in the same bowl you used for seasoning). I browned the thighs in two batches.
Orzo Chicken Bake:
- Sautรฉ the onion: Heat the third tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Sautรฉ the finely chopped onion for 4-6 minutes, until soft. Add a splash of water if the onion begins to catch at the bottom of the pan; it should not get too brown, just golden.1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 medium onion
- Add the thin pepper strips, diced bacon, and minced garlic. Stir and sautรฉ for 2-3 minutes.1 red bell pepper + 5-6 bacon slices + 3 garlic cloves
- Add more ingredients: Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Stir in the orzo.2 teaspoons tomato paste + 1 can chopped tomatoes + ยฝ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon basil + ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes + ยฝ teaspoon granulated sugar + 2 cups chicken stock + 1 ยผ cup orzo + ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake: Nestle the chicken thighs on top, then transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is al dente.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve.1-2 tablespoons parsley
Notes
- The dish: If you don't have a Dutch oven or another oven-safe pan, use a ceramic or glass casserole to bake the chicken and orzo. Brown the chicken and prepare the rest of the dish in a regular pan on the stovetop. Once everything is ready, transfer the orzo mixture to the baking dish, arrange the thighs on top, and bake as directed.
- Bacon: You can replace it with diced pancetta, or leave it out - it adds flavor, but the dish will still be delicious without it.
- Sugar: You may need it depending on the acidity of the canned tomatoes. Taste the sauce and decide if it's necessary.
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