Okay, so this Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake is basically the food equivalent of a rom-com. It’s spicy, creamy (with no cream cheese, promise), and stupid easy—like “dump everything in a dish and walk away” easy. It's got cajun-spice, orzo (or risoni), chicken breast, sundried tomatoes and a good dollop of Greek yogurt to make it creamy.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Cajun. If spicy, smoky, cozy vibes are your jam, the Cajun seasoning brings it (but you can adjust to your preferences). Check out more spicy inspiration with Cajun Chorizo Orzo and Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta.
Chicken breast. Lean, high-protein, and soaks up all that saucy flavour like a sponge. Perfect if you're trying to make smarter choices —just like Chicken red pepper onion stir fry or Kung pao chicken.
One dish. Dump, bake, done. One dish wonders like this and One pan chicken fajitas or Gochujang pasta with chicken are the secret to sane weeknights.
Orzo. Tiny pasta, big comfort. Orzo (or risoni in Aussie) makes everything feel fancy without the effort. Similar vibes in Mediterranean lemon chicken orzo and Greek chicken with orzo.
Ingredients
Chicken breast. Chicken breast doesn't take as long as chicken thigh to cook, but you can substitute if you prefer. I find in the sauce that you don't notice the difference between the breast and thigh meat so I use breast as it's more affordable.
Brown onion and garlic.
Orzo. Orzo (or risoni) is a rice-shaped pasta and holds onto the creamy sauce really well. It takes less time to cook than other pastas, making it perfect for these one-pot meals in the oven.
Diced tomato. I use tinned tomatoes for affordability and you're not relying on Tomatoes in Season.
Sundried tomatoes. Ideally no or minimal oil as it impacts the sauce texture. If you get ones with oil, use it in my Marry Me Chicken Meatballs.
Chicken broth. You could use any variety of broth. As sundried tomatoes are high in sodium, I prefer a broth lower in salt. You could also make my Homemade Chicken Stock.
Greek yoghurt. This adds the creaminess without the cream cheese. You can substitute for a plant-based yogurt or cream, or even milk.
Zucchini. Ya'll know I love me some secret veggies. I use spinach in the Chorizo version so feel free to swap out if preferred.
Cajun seasoning. You can adjust to your spice preferences and even add in some extra spice (cayenne pepper or chilli flakes) if you'd like.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
How to make chicken orzo bake
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Step 2: Grab 4 small oven safe containers (approx. 800ml or more) or one big dish if you're keeping it all together.
Step 3: Split up the diced chicken, orzo, cajun, garlic, onion, zucchini and sundried tomatoes into each of the containers. Mix. Then add chicken stock, diced tomatoes and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Mix well.
Step 4: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, remove and stir well. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the chicken’s cooked and the orzo has softened.
Top Tip
Use a spoon to stir halfway through. Especially if your oven runs hot—this keeps the top from drying out and ensures all of the chicken gets cooked through.
Want it spicier? Add a pinch of chili flakes or extra Cajun.
Variations
Chorizo. I do an Orzo Bake with Chorizo which has the same cajun flavours. I used spinach in this version for some variety, but you could use the zucchini as well.
On the stove. If you don't want to turn your oven on, you could make this exact recipe on the stove similar to my Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta.
Meatballs. If you prefer meatballs over big chunks of meat, I suggest trying my Marry Me Chicken Meatballs. They're slightly less spicy (no Cajun), but have the same vibe with the sundried tomatoes and creamy tomato sauce.
Recommended Equipment
To make this marry me chicken orzo bake a breeze, I recommend oven-safe meal prep containers—preferably glass. They can be baked in the container, stored in the container, then reheated in the container. A good ceramic or glass baking dish works if you’re cooking it all at once.
Meal prepping
Meal Prepping Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake is honestly the easiest meal prep win of the week. It’s prepared quickly, cooked and stored in the same container (meaning way less clean up), and reheats really well.
Storing
Allow the portions to cool at room temperature for up to 2 hours. You may want to stir during this time to ensure the bottom doesn't remain REALLY WARM.
If you close the lid on the containers when it's still super hot, you could be left with slightly mushy orzo.
Store for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Microwave with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce. Reheat on 1 minute intervals, making sure to stir well in between each. It should take approx. 3 minutes.
Freezing
Casserole dishes freeze well. The flavours will continue to develop and the sauce will keep the chicken moist.
I recommend storing in a tightly packed ziplock bag, vacuum sealer (I've done this and you can reheat right in the vacuum sealed bag on the stove - it's great), or a container (not in the glass one as these aren't the best in the freezer).
It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Yes, totally! Add the chicken (for example some leftover roast chicken) after the first 20 minutes and make sure to give it a stir during the back half of the cooking.
You can swap in sour cream or a dairy-free alternative like coconut yoghurt—just aim for something thick and tangy for that creamy balance.
Yep! Try Italian herbs or smoked paprika + garlic powder for a milder version without losing all the flavour.
Short pasta like macaroni or small shells can work, but cooking time and liquid amounts might need increasing. Start with the same amounts, but keep an eye on it during the back end of the bake. I do a Chicken Cajun Pasta on the stove without orzo.
Absolutely. Just use a larger baking dish and extend the bake time slightly, checking that the orzo is cooked through before serving. I do this version for the Chorizo Orzo Bake.
Recipe
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Bake
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Equipment
- Glass meal prep containers, at least 800ml (or a single at least 2L)
Ingredients
- 400 g (1 lb) chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) brown onion, approx. 1, diced
- 400 g (14 oz) orzo, (called risoni in Australia)
- 400 g (14 oz) diced tomato, tinned, subs note 1
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) sundried tomatoes, no/minimal oil
- 500 ml (2 cups) chicken broth, homemade chicken stock recipe
- 60 g (¼ cup) Greek yoghurt, subs note 2
- 200 g (7 oz) zucchini, approx. 2 zucchinis, sliced
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, see note 3
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Dice 100 g brown onion and 200 g zucchini. Slice 400 g chicken breast. If sundried tomatoes are halved/whole, I would suggest slicing these, too.
- Add ¼th of all the ingredients into each of the 4 containers - 400 g chicken breast, 100 g brown onion, 400 g orzo, 400 g diced tomato, 100 g sundried tomatoes, 500 ml chicken broth, 60 g Greek yoghurt, 200 g zucchini, 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Mix well to combine
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, stir. Return to oven for another 15 minutes or until the orzo is tender, most of the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken is cooked through (69°C (160°F) where it will continue to rise while resting for 10 minutes)
- Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs or a sprinkle of parmesan of feta, if desired.
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