High-Protein Creamy Mediterranean Orzo Chicken Dump Casserole Recipe by Jan Mostrom
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I really love recipes that load up on vegetables and protein so I only have to cook one dish for dinner. This Mediterranean chicken orzo dump casserole dinner recipe is filled with such wonderful tastes and nutrition, and is as easy as cooking chicken and then adding everything into a casserole dish. The result is a creamy, delicious chicken dinner that fills you up and is so simple you will want to make it over and over again!
To make this Italian and Mediterranean-inspired casserole recipe you will need the following ingredients: boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs, salt, black pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried Italian seasoning, sundried tomatoes, olives (optional, but add even more flavor), fresh broccoli (check out the health benefits of broccoli), garlic, broth (chicken or vegetable), heavy cream or half and half, fresh spinach (check out the health benefits of spinach), orzo, feta (feta may be the healthiest cheese in the world) and Parmesan cheese.
Serve this high-protein and high-fiber orzo and chicken casserole for dinner with your favorite side dishes.
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into strips
- olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 5 ounces sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- 1/3 cup green olives or black olives, drained (optional)
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or sliced thinly
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 3 ounces baby spinach (I like to de-stem my spinach)
- 2 cups orzo, uncooked
- 7 ounces feta cheese, broken into large pieces (or use your favorite cheese)
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Here's how to make it:
- Place a large skillet on medium heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your pan. Add the chicken strips. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Cook chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. The chicken shouldn’t be visibly pink, but doesn’t need to be totally cooked through as it will bake more in the oven.
- In a 13x9-inch baking dish or similar-sized pan, place the chicken, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, olives, if using, garlic, orzo, broth, cream, spinach, feta, Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well.
- Bake in a preheated 425-degree F oven for about 40 minutes, or until the top is nice and browned.
- Serve warm in bowls and enjoy. You can store this in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. If you would like to make this a bit quicker just use cooked rotisserie chicken and add the spices right to the pan. Shred the chicken and add it as stated. And as always, if you don’t like or have broccoli change up the vegetable and make it your own.
Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.
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