Easy Back to School Casserole!

Back to school season is officially here (at least where I live). That means my house is switching from fun days in the sun to lunch boxes and permission slips. My oldest starts 2nd grade this year, which doesn’t feel possible.

During this transition time, I CANNOT deal with complicated dinners. If it requires multiple pans, a huge time commitment, or a ton of ingredients, it’s on the back burner until October.

This Creamy Veggie Orzo Bake is a winner for simplicity and taste. It’s a dump and go casserole, so just toss everything in a dish, put it in the oven, and walk away!

I love chicken and orzo, and this cooks itself. I’m also a huge fan of zesty dinners, which I have to balance because my husband prefers heartier dishes. It’s great for the entire family.

Your recipe card is below, but once you make this, it will part of your meal rotation. You can follow along for videos at any of my socials. Thanks for following along! Facebook, Tik Tok, or Instagram!

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 35 min

Total: 45min

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo

• 1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2” moons

• 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 2 full chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 lemon (for juice)

• Grated parmesean cheese

Seasoning Blend

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Wash and prepare the zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Slice the zucchini into half moons and halve the tomatoes.

3. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss with the olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the uncooked orzo to the bottom of a greased 9X13 baking dish (or one of similar size)

5. Layer the zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and orzo. Toss gently to distribute evenly

6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, lemon juice, and seasoning blend

7. Pour the liquid evenly over the mixture

8. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes

9. Remove the cover, stir everything together, and continue baking for 10 minutes. Or until the chicken and orzo are fully cooked.

10. Top with grated parmesan cheese and your ready to eat!