Description
A creamy, one-pot comfort food featuring tender chicken, vibrant broccoli florets, and gooey melted cheese tossed with orzo pasta. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners or family gatherings, this dish merges convenience with indulgent flavour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 tsp smoked paprika or Italian seasoning, ½ lemon juiced, crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear diced chicken for 5–6 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in orzo and toast for 1–2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Return chicken to the pan and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When orzo is nearly al dente, add broccoli florets. Cook until broccoli is tender-crisp and orzo is creamy.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in milk or cream, cheddar, and Parmesan. Mix until cheese melts and sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Serve hot.
Notes
- You can use frozen broccoli instead of fresh. If swapping, add frozen broccoli a few minutes later into the cooking process to avoid overcooking.
- For a lighter version, swap in reduced-fat cheese and skim or low-fat milk instead of higher-fat varieties. Note that using skim milk may result in a lighter, less creamy texture.
- Rotisserie chicken can be used instead of raw chicken as a time-saving swap. Simply shred the rotisserie chicken and stir it in with the broccoli during cooking.
- Leftovers reheat best with a splash of broth or milk to restore creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: One-pot stovetop cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups (approx.)
- Calories: ~480 kcal
- Sugar: ~3 g
- Sodium: ~620 mg
- Fat: ~22 g
- Saturated Fat: ~11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~9 g
- Trans Fat: ~0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: ~40 g
- Fiber: ~3 g
- Protein: ~32 g
- Cholesterol: ~105 mg