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This easy, comfy Tuscan Chicken Bake is made in one pan and takes less than 10 minutes to throw together in a casserole dish. Bake it up and enjoy for a cozy, hearty dinner everyone adores. It’s one of those instant love recipes that’s super adaptable to different flavors and mix-ins. You’ll be quick to add this one to the dinner rotation.
Full of vibrant flavors like tangy and sweet bursting cherry tomatoes and zesty lemon juice. It’s perfectly balanced by the decadent heavy cream (or milk for a lighter take), comfy orzo pasta, and sharp parmesan cheese.
Using the same pasta-to-liquid ratio and bake time, change up the flavor profile of this dish with a Marry Me chicken version, Broccoli Cheddar, or Louisiana style.
Orzo Tuscan Chicken Bake
Here is why you’ll love this easy recipe:
- 10 Min Prep – it doesn’t get any more low maintenance for a homemade dinner than this tuscan-style orzo chicken bake.
- Dump & Bake – literally dump all of the ingredients into the casserole dish and stick in the oven! No dirty mixing bowls needed.
- One Pan Meal – you’ll only need to wash one pan, this is your kinda meal for busy weeks when eating out is so tempting.
- Great Leftovers – much like most pasta recipes, the flavors meld and it’s even more delish the next day. Just add a splash of chicken broth before reheating.
Key Ingredients
This one-pan tuscan chicken bake couldn’t get any easier. Here is the short list of ingredients you’ll need (measurements are below in the recipe card).
Chicken – rotisserie chicken is best for a quick and simple answer. Or if you have leftover cooked chicken on-hand, use that. You only need about two cups chopped or shredded!
Orzo – this rice shaped pasta has the best texture and it really makes this dish special. You can sub for rotini, elbows, penne or another short pasta.
Cheese – a combination of parmesan and mozzarella. Part sharp, part creamy and gooey.
Chicken stock – more flavorful than broth. This is what the pasta will bloom in and absorb as it bakes.
Heavy Cream – just a cup will add so much creaminess to this dish. You can sub for milk for a less decadent and lighter take.
Spinach – fresh spinach or frozen spinach that has been thawed and well-drained.
Cherry Tomatoes – these really make the dish! They wilt as they bake and easily burst creating the perfect tangy sweet flavor. Use a good tasting brand like Angel Sweet.
Garlic – fresh garlic always adds more flavor but use the jarred kind in a pinch.
Seasonings – a simple combination of salt, pepper and italian seasoning (plus garlic powder if using the pre-minced garlic).
Lemon – juice of half a lemon.
How to Make Tuscan Chicken Bake
Dump Everything Into A Casserole Dish
Add some non-stick spray to the sides of a 9×13 casserole dish. Into the baking dish add: orzo, chicken stock, cream, seasonings, cooked chicken, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice and half of each cheese. Give it a good mix to ensure the ingredients are evenly combined and in a flat layer.
Bake It!
Top with remaining cheese and bake for 40 minutes or until the orzo is tender. When you remove from the oven, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the pan juices to be absorbed and set up (otherwise it may seem a little liquidy). Give the tuscan chicken bake a good mix using a large serving spoon. Serve hot and enjoy! We love to pair this with a chopped salad kit.
Alternate Flavor Variations
Use this same one-pan orzo chicken bake method and measurements, but swap out the key ingredients for these alternate flavor versions:
Marry Me Pasta – swap the spinach and cherry tomatoes with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.
Louisiana Pasta – swap the spinach, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella for chopped bell peppers, broccoli and colby jack.
Pesto – keep everything the same, but whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of pesto.
Chicken Scampi – scale back 1/2 cup of stock and replace it with a dry white wine.
Looking for More One-Pan Meals?
One-Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta
One-Pan Buffalo Chicken Alfredo
One-Pan Lemon Parmesan Pasta
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for this one-pan orzo tuscan chicken bake recipe. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Orzo Tuscan Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 16 oz. dry orzo
- 2 cups cooked chicken rotisserie or sauted diced chicken
- 3 cups chicken stock unsalted
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2/3 cup parmesan, grated or shredded
- 1.5 cups mozzarella, shredded
- 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves roughly chopped (or 8 oz box chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes leave whole or slice in half
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
- optional - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder if not using fresh garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add some non-stick spray to the sides of a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Into the casserole dish add: orzo, cooked chicken, chicken stock, cream, seasonings, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice and half of each cheese. Give it a good mix to ensure the ingredients are evenly combined and in a flat layer.
- Top with remaining cheese and bake for 40 minutes or until the orzo is tender.
- When you remove from the oven, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the pan juices to be absorbed and set up (otherwise it may seem a little liquidy).
- Give it a good mix using a large serving spoon. Serve hot and enjoy! We love to pair this with a chopped salad kit.
Delicious!! I subbed sun dried tomatoes and half and half. This will definitely be in my recipe rotation.
Can you make this ahead?
Hi Lauren, if you mean assemble and then store in the fridge before baking… no, I don’t recommend this since the pasta would be sitting in the liquid. You can prep the ingredients ahead and then just assemble and bake once you are ready.
This recipe is amazing! So good and easy to make. A+ in my book.
I was wondering if you can swap fresh mozzarella for the regular mozzarella?
Absolutely! Either work great.
Amazing! Loved this. A friend made this for us after a surgery. It was fabulous!!!
Super tasty! It’s even great microwaved the next day for lunch. the only change I would recommend is switching the oven to broil the last two minutes to get the cheese on top nice and brown.
This was excellent! I used chicken tenderloins that I didn’t cut up since I had kids screaming. I put the (frozen) spinach and whole cherry tomatoes on one side since I have a picky husband and kid. Instead of using Italian seasoning I used about 3/4 package of dry Italian dressing mix and fresh garlic. Finally I didn’t add cheese to the top, just what was inside of it and half and half instead of heavy cream. HOWEVER I had to turn the temp up to 425 and cooked it for probably an hour.
I’m wondering if it cooks covered??
Hi Lynn – I did not cover this during the entirety of the cook time.
Ugh I forgot to buy heavy cream; can I substitute 2% milk?
Yes absolutely. I’ve even made a version with only chicken stock, so it will definitely work. It just may be lighter in taste. You can also add a cup of sour cream instead if you have that one hand (I use that in my Monterey Chicken Orzo recipe).
Oh WOW! Wanted to try a new recipe for my husband and we both really enjoyed this! Gave him a portion that would generously fill a frisbee (plus a salad, used the extra lemon half to make caesar dressing) and he ate it all. Yes he’s a 43-year old growing boy lol but watching him annihilate this I realized I’d have to make it again. I enjoyed my large bowl as well!
Easy as stated, delicious, hearty and satisfying. I had a hard day but a now happy belly =) already sent to my mom for her to make for my dad!
Not one of “those” people but this is a flexible recipe and hard to mess up. I did follow mostly to the T and if you add enough liquid (can add more later!) you’re fine. I added extra veggies (mushrooms excellent complement!), used regular chopped tomatoes, bullion cubes bc I had no stock, and even though I forgot lemon until halfway through (lemon makes this! don’t skip even if you don’t like lemon like me!) turned out super yummy!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I laughed way too hard at “he’s a growing boy” 🙂 this is way too relatable with my husband. Thank you for your detailed feedback. I am thrilled you guys enjoyed it and its’ awesome for other readers to hear how adaptable and forgiving this recipe is.