This Chicken and Broccoli Orzo is a super quick 20-minute dinner recipe that’s creamy, a little bit cheesy, and totally satisfying.
I’m here today with another quick and easy dinner recipe for you, 20-minute Chicken and Broccoli Orzo.
This recipe feels like classic childhood comfort food. It’s a big old skillet of diced or shredded chicken, broccoli florets, and creamy parmesan orzo that is completely irresistible, and it comes together FAST.
Start With Cooked Chicken (Or Not)
Like the Parmesan Chicken Soup I posted a couple of weeks ago, to save time this recipe calls for cooked chicken. So if you have some in your fridge or freezer, great, or grab a rotisserie chicken and chop up the white meat to use here.
In a pinch, you can even use (warmed) canned chicken if that’s something you keep on hand.
But, as always, if you don’t have precooked chicken, don’t sweat it. There are instructions in the recipe card for starting with raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
A Note on Reheating
Creamy pastas need a little help to be at their best after reheating since they tend to either absorb all the liquid while sitting in the refrigerator or reheat lumpy and weird.
- For best results, add a splash of heavy cream or milk and a sprinkle of shredded parmesan before microwaving. Once heated, stir everything together. The extra cream and cheese will help return the orzo’s creamy consistency.
More Quick and Easy Recipes
Recipe Notes
- You can use heavy cream, half and half, or milk in this recipe. I prefer heavy cream as it gives you the richest, creamiest results, but you can use what you have on hand.
- If you use heavy cream and have some left over, check out this post What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream for ideas to use it up.
Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (about 1 1/3 cup) orzo
- 12 ounces broccoli florets chopped
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- 2 cloves garlic chopped or minced
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, half and half, or milk
- 1/2 cup (2oz) shredded Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- 2 cups warm cooked chicken diced or shredded*
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook orzo according to package instructions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking time, add broccoli. When timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove broccoli and transfer to a plate. Drain the orzo and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add drained pasta, cream, and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chicken and then gently fold in broccoli.
- Serve, top with more Parmesan if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
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