Description
This Cheesy Chicken Sausage & Tomato Orzo Bake is the ultimate cozy comfort food. Juicy Italian chicken sausage, tender orzo, sweet tomatoes, and spinach come together in one skillet, topped with gooey mozzarella and parmesan for a golden, bubbly finish.
Ingredients
1 lb Italian-style chicken sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add sliced chicken sausage and cook 5–7 minutes until browned. Remove sausage and set aside.
3. Add diced onion to skillet and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook 1 minute.
4. Return sausage to the skillet. Stir in dry orzo, diced tomatoes with juices, and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up browned bits.
5. Transfer skillet to oven and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes until orzo is tender and liquid mostly absorbed.
6. Remove skillet from oven, stir in spinach until wilted, then sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan evenly over top.
7. Return to oven for 5–10 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
8. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, assemble the mixture in a baking dish after simmering on the stovetop, then bake as directed. This dish reheats well—add a splash of broth when warming leftovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Casserole / Pasta Bake
- Method: Stovetop + Oven Bake
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: ≈410 kcal per serving
- Sugar: ≈6 g
- Sodium: ≈980 mg
- Fat: ≈18 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈11 g
- Trans Fat: ≈0 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈39 g
- Fiber: ≈3 g
- Protein: ≈25 g
- Cholesterol: ≈65 mg
Keywords: chicken sausage orzo bake, cheesy tomato orzo, comfort food