Creamy Chicken Orzo Casserole

This creamy chicken orzo casserole is the kind of dinner that makes everyone come back for seconds without fail.

The Ritz cracker topping is what puts this casserole over the edge. Buttery, golden, and slightly crunchy over the creamy cheesy orzo underneath, it's the combination of textures that makes every bite so satisfying.

Why You Will Love This Casserole

• Everything gets mixed together right in the casserole dish. There is one dish to clean and the oven handles the rest.
• The dry orzo cooks directly in the creamy sauce during the bake and absorbs all that garlic Parmesan, sour cream, and seasoned broth flavor as it cooks. It ends up tasting completely different from plain boiled orzo.
• The Campbell's Garlic Parmesan with Herbs condensed soup does a significant amount of the seasoning work on its own and makes the sauce taste developed and complex without any extra effort.
• The Ritz cracker topping baked in butter over the cheese layer produces a golden, slightly crunchy, buttery crust that makes this casserole taste like the best comfort food you have ever had.

Ingredients Needed To Make Chicken Orzo Casserole

The Casserole Base

Chicken broth or bone broth, sour cream, and Campbell's Garlic Parmesan with Herbs condensed soup whisked together form the creamy, deeply flavored sauce base. Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, oregano, cayenne, and optional crushed red pepper layer bold seasoning throughout.

The Filling

Dry orzo goes in uncooked and absorbs the sauce as it bakes. Shredded rotisserie chicken is the protein, already cooked and seasoned, no extra work needed. Chopped fresh spinach adds color and nutrition.

The Cheese

Half the Monterey Jack and white cheddar goes into the mixture for a cheesy, cohesive filling. The other half tops the casserole and melts into a gooey, golden layer during baking.

The Ritz Cracker Topping

Two sleeves of Ritz crackers crushed fine and mixed with a full stick of melted butter produce the golden, slightly crunchy, buttery topping that finishes the casserole and makes it completely irresistible.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Orzo Casserole

Step 1: Build the Base

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a 9x13 casserole dish whisk together the chicken broth, sour cream, and condensed soup until completely smooth. Add all the seasonings and stir to combine.

Step 2: Add the Filling

Add the dry orzo, shredded chicken, and chopped spinach. Stir until everything is evenly combined with no dry pockets of orzo remaining. Stir in half the cheese until distributed throughout. Top with the remaining cheese in an even layer.

Step 3: Make the Topping

Crush the Ritz crackers in a zip-top bag until fine. Add the melted butter and mix until every crumb is coated. Spread evenly over the cheese layer.

Step 4: Bake

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is deeply golden and the sides are bubbling.

Step 5: Rest and Serve

Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping and serving.

Storing and Reheating Tips

Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The orzo continues absorbing the sauce as it sits and the casserole will be thicker the next day. Add a small splash of broth when reheating and cover with foil in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or microwave on medium power in 60-second intervals. The Ritz topping softens overnight but the flavor is still excellent.

Meghan Kay

Creamy Chicken Orzo Casserole

This creamy chicken orzo casserole combines rotisserie chicken and dry orzo in a sour cream and condensed soup base with two kinds of cheese and a buttery Ritz cracker topping baked until golden and bubbly.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 2.5 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth
• 16 oz sour cream
• 1 can Campbells garlic parmesan with herbs condensed soup
• 3 cups rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups dry orzo pasta
• 2 cups fresh spinach chopped
• 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 oz sharp white cheddar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
• 6 oz ritz crackers or 2 sleeves
• 1 stick unsalted butter melted

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a 9x13 casserole dish, add chicken broth or chicken bone broth, sour cream, garlic parmesan with herbs soup. Mix until well combined and there aren't any clumps present.
3. Next add seasonings listed above.
4. Next add orzo, rotisserie chicken, and spinach. Mix until well combined, and there aren't any dry pockets of orzo present.
5. Next add ½ the amount of cheese listed above. Mix together.
6. Top casserole with remaining cheese.
7. In a separate bag, add 2 sleeves of ritz crackers to bag. Crush the ritz crackers until it has a fine grain texture, then add 1 stick melted butter.
8. Mix until well combined, then add to top of casserole.
9. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
10. At the 30 minute mark, uncover and continue baking for 15-20 additional minutes, or until the top has a golden brown color and the sides are bubbling.
11. Remove from oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

• Make sure the broth, sour cream, and condensed soup are whisked completely smooth before anything else goes in.
• Any clumps at this stage stay clumps throughout the finished casserole.
• The dry orzo goes in uncooked and absorbs the liquid during baking. Make sure every bit of it is submerged and surrounded by the liquid mixture before the foil goes on so it cooks through evenly.
• Freshly shredded cheese only. Pre-shredded bag cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the casserole.
• The full 10 to 15 minute rest after baking is essential. The orzo continues absorbing liquid during the rest and the casserole firms into a scoopable consistency that holds together on the plate.