Lemon Chicken Orzo Bake (with Boursin Cheese)
This Lemon Chicken Orzo Bake gives you the ultimate creamy pasta fix while keeping things light, manageable, and packed with health benefits. As a dietitian, I am all about balancing delicious, cozy comfort meals with balanced nutrition. We are talking 27g of protein and 3.5g of fiber per serving—all for a surprisingly low-calorie count! It’s a complete dump-and-bake meal. With just 5 minutes of hands-on prep, no chopping, and easy kitchen staples like rotisserie chicken and frozen spinach, you can pop this in the oven and let it do the heavy lifting for 35 minutes.
For more one-pot, dump-and-bake-style family meals, try this Spaghetti and Meatball Casserole or this Lazy Lasagna with Frozen Ravioli.
Recipe Highlights
- 5-Minute Prep: Zero chopping required; just layer and bake.
- One-Pan Convenience: Minimal cleanup for busy weeknights.
- Dietitian-Approved: High protein, high fiber, and family-friendly balance.
- Cozy & Creamy: Rich Boursin garlic cheese paired with bright lemon and savory chicken.
Ingredient Notes
- Orzo — I love this small pasta shape here because the sauce clings to every piece. Stick with orzo, ditalini, or another small shape; this recipe is tested with that pasta-to-broth ratio, so a larger pasta shape won’t cook the same way.
- Chicken — Rotisserie chicken keeps this recipe truly dump-and-bake. You can also use pre-shredded chicken breast, or slice chicken sausage into coins for a quick protein swap.
- Boursin — Nestle it right in the center of the dish and don’t worry about mixing it in until after the first bake. Garlic & Fine Herbs is my go-to flavor, but feel free to experiment.
- Chicken broth — Vegetable broth works too if that’s what you have on hand.
- Sun-dried tomatoes — These bring a ton of flavor, but be sure to drain off the oil first. Too much oil can make the finished dish greasy.
- Frozen spinach — Convenient and easy. If you’d rather use fresh, double the amount and stir it in after the foil comes off, right before the final bake.
- Lemon, garlic, and Parmesan — These three bring the brightness and depth. I like using the juice of a whole lemon, but adjust to your taste.
How to Make Boursin Chicken Orzo Bake (Step by Step)
1. Preheat: Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Nestle the Cheese: Place the block of Boursin right into the center of a baking dish.
3. Dump & Layer: Scatter the dry orzo, shredded chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and minced garlic around the cheese block.
4. Add Liquid: Pour the broth and lemon juice evenly over the dish, ensuring the liquid covers the dry orzo.
5. Cover & Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Stir & Cheese: Remove the foil and stir thoroughly to melt the Boursin into the pasta. (It will look a bit watery—that’s expected!). Top with Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
7. Finish Uncovered: Bake uncovered for another 8–12 minutes until creamy, tender, and lightly golden.
8. Rest: Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken before serving.
CAROLINE’S TIPS
Tips from the Test Kitchen
- Don’t panic about extra liquid: The pasta absorbs liquid quickly during the final uncovered bake.
- Stick to tiny pasta: Do not swap orzo for larger shapes like penne or rotini; the liquid ratios won’t match.
- Watch the timer closely: Pull it out as soon as the pasta is tender so it doesn’t dry out.
- Meal Prep Pro-Tip: If prepping hours ahead, hold off on adding the broth and lemon juice until right before baking.
- Easy Veggie Swaps: Swap sun-dried tomatoes for fresh cherry tomatoes, or throw in small broccoli florets.
Storage Suggestions
This dish is best served warm, straight from the oven, family style. Like most pasta bakes, it will continue to soak up liquid as it sits, so it becomes a little less creamy over time — but it still keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, pop it in the microwave with a splash of milk or water stirred in to bring back that creamy texture.
Lemon Chicken Orzo Bake (with Boursin Cheese)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry orzo
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 5.2-ounce package Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Add the Boursin: place the Boursin into the middle of the dish. Don’t worry about fully mixing it in yet.
- Dump it in: layer the dry orzo, rotisserie chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic around the nestled Boursin cheese circle.
- Pour the chicken broth and lemon juice evenly over the layered mixture.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and stir really well, breaking up the Boursin and incorporating it into the orzo. Note: it might look liquidy still at this stage and that is normal! The water will evaporate after you remove the foil and continue baking it for a few more minutes in the oven.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan. And top with salt and pepper.
- Return to the oven uncovered for 8–12 minutes, until the orzo is tender and creamy and the top is lightly browned.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
I recommend sticking with cooked, shredded chicken for this bake to make sure everything reaches a safe temperature. That’s actually one of my favorite things about using rotisserie chicken here! If you’d rather use raw chicken breast, cook and shred it first, then layer it in with the rest of the ingredients.
