
This Baked Chicken and Orzo is a delicious and budget-friendly meal that the entire family will love. Juicy chicken thighs that are seasoned to perfection and baked on top of a bed of tender pasta. What more could you want?

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With school starting back soon, it’s time to get ready for easy meals that can be made without a lot of effort. And, this chicken orzo bake is one of my favorite one-pot meals.
If your family loves Orzo like mine does then next time you may also want to give this Ground Beef and Orzo Skillet a try.
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you will need to make this recipe. You can find the full list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs – You can also use bone-in.
- olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- onion
- fresh garlic cloves – I like to use fresh garlic, but you can also use the minced kind.
- orzo pasta
- diced tomatoes
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- red pepper flakes – This is optional. If you are not a fan of spicy foods leave it out.
- grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the instructions to make this recipe. You can find the full steps in the recipe card.
Season the chicken and sear on both sides until golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the skillet, an then saute the onion until translucent, and add the garlic for the last minute of cooking.
Stir in the orzo, chicken broth, tomatoes, and seasonings then simmer for five minutes.
Add the chicken thighs to the skillet, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in the 375 degrees f oven for 25-30 minutes.
Storage
Storage – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezing – You can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating – Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warm all the way through. You can also reheat it in the microwave on 50% power for 2-3 minutes.
Wendy’s Test Kitchen Tips
- When searing the chicken, make sure that you wait until your skillet is fully preheated so that you get an even sear.
- You don’t have to worry about cooking the chicken all the way through when searing it. You only need a nice brown crust on the outside. It will finish cooking while in the oven.
- Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature for 165 degrees before you remove it from the oven.
FAQs
I like to use a cast iron skillet but you can use any cast iron skillet.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this chicken orzo bake? Try these:

Baked Chicken and Orzo
Equipment
- Oven Safe Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ยผ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF (190ยฐC).
- Rub the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken thighs for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for about 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the orzo, chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Nestle the seared chicken thighs into the orzo mixture. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is tender.
- Remove from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes before fluffing the orzo with a fork. Then garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
Recipe calls for chicken broth, but does not state the amount of chicken broth needed.
How much chicken broth? Looking forward to making this recipe.
Oh no! How did I manage to forget that? It’s 2 cups of chicken broth. Thank you for catching my mistake.