Cheesy Chicken and Orzo Casserole
A creamy, chewy, make ahead meal for busy nights! This cheesy chicken and orzo casserole is a savory blend of cheeses that will become a weeknight staple.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 1385kcal
Ingredients
- 1- pound chicken cooked and cubed
- ½ pound bacon chopped
- 1 tbsp. garlic
- 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 1 pound orzo
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- In a medium skillet, cook bacon on medium high until crispy. Move to a paper towel to drain. Save ¼ of the bacon drippings and cook garlic 1-2 mins.
- Reduce heat to medium and whisk in flour. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly.
- Cook for 5 mins., whisking occasionally. Add Monterey jack cheese, salt and pepper and blend well. Set aside.
- In a large pot, cook orzo accordingly to instructions, but cook 2 minutes less. Drain.
- Add back to pot along with the chicken, the peas and ¾ of the bacon and mix gently. Add cheese mixture and blend well.
- Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with vegetable oil. Add mixture. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and remaining bacon.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is browning and bubbly.
Notes
Chopping the ingredients: You want everything bite-sized so chop the chicken and bacon finely.
Let it sit: After it comes out of the oven, let it sit for about five minutes for all the cheese and flavors to settle together.
Store it: In an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat it you may need to add a bit of milk to the mixture to make it creamy again.
How to make it a freezer meal: Make the casserole but don’t bake it. Line your freezer dish it with aluminum foil and pour the casserole into it. Fold it up and freeze. The next day, remove the casserole from the dish and place it in a freezer bag with a label.
To reheat it: let it thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 1385kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 108g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 45g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 660mg | Potassium: 485mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 485mg | Iron: 2mg