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Easy Creamy Dump-and-Bake Tuscan Chicken Orzo

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A simple, creamy, and flavorful one-pot Tuscan chicken orzo dish perfect for quick weeknight dinners. This dump-and-bake recipe combines tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a luscious cream cheese sauce baked to perfection.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb / 450 g), trimmed of fat
  • 1 cup dry orzo pasta (about 175 g)
  • 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth (600 ml)
  • 4 oz softened cream cheese (115 g)
  • ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (about 70 g), oil-packed and drained
  • 3 cups fresh spinach (about 90 g), loosely packed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (50 g)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (dried basil, oregano, thyme mix)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly oil a 9×13-inch oven-safe baking dish to prevent sticking.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together softened cream cheese and chicken broth until smooth and creamy.
  3. Place raw chicken breasts in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle dry orzo evenly around and between the chicken pieces.
  4. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper over the chicken and orzo.
  5. Pour the cream cheese and broth mixture evenly over the chicken and orzo.
  6. Cover the dish tightly with foil to trap steam and place on the middle rack of the oven.
  7. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove the foil.
  8. Stir in fresh spinach and grated Parmesan cheese gently into the dish. The residual heat will wilt the spinach and melt the cheese.
  9. Return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes to soften the spinach and slightly brown the cheese.
  10. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to thicken the sauce.

Notes

[‘Soften cream cheese at room temperature or microwave in short bursts to avoid lumps.’, ‘Pound chicken breasts to even thickness for uniform cooking.’, ‘Ensure foil is tightly sealed to trap steam and cook orzo properly.’, ‘Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained well for richer flavor; dry tomatoes may need extra olive oil.’, ‘Add extra broth or water if sauce is too thick before baking; broil briefly if too runny after baking.’, ‘Stir spinach in at the end to keep it bright and fresh, avoiding mushiness.’, ‘Frozen chicken breasts can be used but increase baking time by 10-15 minutes and check doneness with a thermometer.’, ‘For dairy-free version, use dairy-free cream cheese, plant-based broth, and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.’, ‘Recipe can be assembled ahead and refrigerated up to 12 hours before baking; add extra baking time if cold.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: Tuscan chicken orzo, creamy chicken orzo, dump and bake, easy weeknight dinner, one pot meal, creamy pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, comfort food

Find it online: https://oracooks.com/easy-creamy-dump-and-bake-tuscan-chicken-orzo-recipe-for-perfect-weeknight-dinner/