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Chicken broccoli orzo saved my Tuesday last week. I walked in at 6:40 with no plan, half a rotisserie chicken in the fridge, a head of broccoli going soft, and a bag of orzo I’d forgotten I owned. One skillet later, dinner was on the table.
This creamy one-pan chicken broccoli orzo with cheddar is that dinner, cleaned up and written down. Five minutes of prep. Twenty-five of cooking. The orzo simmers right in the broth, so it soaks up flavor and thickens the sauce by itself, and you never go near a colander.
It’s the kind of meal you make when the day got away from you. Cheesy, creamy, and done before you’ve finished being annoyed about everything else.
Why This Chicken Broccoli Orzo Works
Four small things. Skip any one and you’ll notice.
The orzo cooks in broth, not water. The starch that rubs off the pasta stays in the pan and thickens everything, so the cream only has to finish the job. No roux. No flour.
The broccoli goes in once the broth simmers. Not at the start. It cooks alongside the orzo and stays green with a little bite, instead of going gray and mushy.
The heat goes off before the cream and cheese. First time I made this, I dumped the cheddar into a bubbling pan. Grainy, a bit greasy, and I was irritated. Now I turn off the burner, wait a minute, then stir. Smooth every time.
The cheese comes from a block. Bagged shreds are coated so they don’t clump, and that coating fights you when you’re trying to melt cheese into a sauce. Two minutes with a box grater and the sauce is silkier.
Ingredients for Chicken Broccoli Orzo
You need a large, deep skillet for this, about 12 inches. A shallow pan will have orzo jumping over the side.
The base
- 2 cups orzo
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped
The creamy, cheesy part
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
The seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Black pepper, to taste
How to Make Creamy One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Start the orzo. Put the orzo and chicken broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the broccoli. Once the broth starts to simmer, stir in the chopped broccoli.
- Cook until al dente. Keep it going, stirring now and then, until the orzo is al dente. Scrape the bottom when you stir. Orzo loves to stick.
- Kill the heat. Turn off the burner and let the pan sit for about 1 minute. Don’t skip this.
- Cream and seasoning. Pour in the cream, then add the bouillon powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir until it’s all mixed in.
- Melt in the cheddar. Add the cheese and stir until it melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Fold in the chicken. Stir in the shredded chicken until it’s evenly mixed through.
- Serve warm. Straight from the skillet to the bowl.
Dinner • American
Creamy One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Orzo with Cheddar
A creamy, cheesy one-skillet dinner with orzo, broccoli and shredded chicken, ready in 30 minutes with no draining. Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients 10 items
- The Base
- The Creamy, Cheesy Part
- The Seasoning
Instructions 8 steps
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1
Start the orzo
Put the orzo and chicken broth in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
-
2
Add the broccoli
Once the broth starts to simmer, stir in the chopped broccoli.
-
3
Cook until al dente
Keep cooking and stir now and then, scraping the bottom, until the orzo is al dente.
-
4
Turn off the heat
Turn off the burner and let the pan sit for about 1 minute.
-
5
Add the cream and seasoning
Pour in the cream, then add the bouillon powder, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until everything is mixed in.
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6
Melt in the cheddar
Add the shredded cheddar and stir until it melts into a smooth, creamy sauce.
-
7
Fold in the chicken
Stir in the shredded chicken until it is evenly mixed through.
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8
Serve
Serve warm, straight from the skillet.
Tips & Substitutions
Shred the cheddar yourself from a block. It melts smoother than the pre-shredded kind.
A rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for the cooked chicken.
Turn the heat off and wait a minute before adding the cream and cheese so the sauce stays smooth.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add a splash of broth or milk when reheating, since the orzo soaks up the sauce.
Nutrition Facts
680 kcal / serving
Protein40g
Carbs47g
Fat35g
Fiber3g
Tips for the Best Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Shred the cheddar yourself. I know. One more thing to do. It’s worth it.
- Use a rotisserie chicken. It’s the whole reason this dinner takes 30 minutes. Pull the meat while the orzo cooks.
- Go sharp on the cheddar. Mild gets lost in the cream. Sharp still tastes like cheese once everything is stirred together.
- Don’t add salt until you’ve tasted it. The broth, the bouillon, and the cheddar are all salty already. I’ve never needed extra.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, following the USDA’s leftover guidelines. Add a splash of broth or milk when you reheat, because the orzo keeps soaking up the sauce overnight and the pan will look like paste without it.
Variations
Spinach. A big handful of baby spinach stirred in with the chicken wilts in seconds. This is the one I make most.
Pepper jack. Swap half the cheddar for pepper jack when you want a little heat. Keep the other half cheddar so it still tastes like this dish.
Skip this one: cooking raw chicken breast in the pan with the orzo. It sounds efficient, but the orzo is done long before the chicken is, and you end up with soft, overcooked pasta waiting around. Use cooked chicken.
Can You Make Chicken Broccoli Orzo Ahead of Time?
Not the whole thing, no. Orzo keeps drinking liquid as it sits, so a pan made at 3 p.m. is a block by 6.
What you can do ahead: shred the chicken and chop the broccoli up to a day before, and grate the cheddar too. Then the actual cooking is just broth, orzo, and stirring.
I don’t freeze it. Cream sauces with cheese turn grainy after thawing, and the orzo goes soft. Make it fresh and eat the leftovers within 3 days.
Chicken Broccoli Orzo FAQ
What size skillet do I need for one-pan chicken broccoli orzo?
A deep 12-inch skillet. A Dutch oven or wide, high-sided sauté pan also works. A standard shallow frying pan is too small
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Add it straight from the freezer when the broth simmers, no thawing. The sauce comes out a little looser because frozen broccoli releases water, so let it sit the full minute off the heat before you add the cream.
Why did my cheese sauce turn grainy or oily?
Almost always because the pan was too hot when the cheese went in, or the cheese was pre-shredded. Turn the burner completely off, give it a minute, and use a block of cheddar you grate yourself. If it’s already grainy, a splash of warm broth and some steady stirring will bring it back most of the way.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
I wouldn’t. Milk makes the sauce thin and it won’t coat the orzo the same way. If you don’t want to use a full cup of cream, use less, not a substitute.
How do I reheat chicken broccoli orzo?
Low heat in a skillet or the microwave in short bursts, with a splash of broth or milk stirred in. Stir often.
What goes well with chicken broccoli orzo?
Garlic bread, or a crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette. Something with some acid, because the dish is rich.
Final Thoughts
This is a weeknight dinner that does its job. Nothing fancy, one pan, and everyone eats it.
One more trick: squeeze a little lemon over your bowl right before eating. The brightness cuts through the cream and cheddar and makes the second helping feel lighter than the first. A few drops of hot sauce does something similar if lemon isn’t your thing.
