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Nothing is better (or easier) than this Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake…with crispy, crunchy cheddar on top. Made using healthy vegetables and herbs, this bake is so darn easy, and so darn delicious. And the best part? It’s made entirely in one pot and in under an hour. Grab some chicken, rice, orzo pasta, plenty of herbs, and all that summer zucchini you can find. Just cook everything together on the stove. Add creamy Havarti and sharp cheddar cheese, a sprinkle of everything spice. Then finish it off under the broiler to melt the cheese and get it crispy and crunchy. Simple, but SO GOOD. The perfect weeknight family-style dinner.
When summer life gives you a lot of zucchini you make some cheesy rice…with crispy cheddar on top. And you make it casserole-style because it’s August and back to school season is on my brain.
First things first no matter what’s going on in life, or how old I am, August and September with be back to school “season” for me. I know things are looking different this year in regards to heading back to school, but we can still enjoy “back to school recipes”. Whether you or your kids are actually heading into a classroom or not.
Speaking of which, are you heading back to school? Or are your kids? I know many schools have gone completely online this year, while others are doing only two to three days of in-classroom classes. I don’t have any kids yet, but I know my parents are still on the fence about what they’ll be doing for my little sister, Asher. Her school is heading back for two days each week and my mom is debating about sending her. She’s just not sure it’s worth it to be in the classroom for only two days. She could just elect the online option and use the year to travel some…Grand Canyon, National Parks, etc…which could be more educational anyway.
Curious what you guys are doing…heading back, or is it homeschooling this year?
Either way, with summer slowly ebbing away, it’s about to get busier. Meaning dinner can get hectic. This is where these back to school recipes come in. They’re easy, served casserole-style (aka family-style), and always so nice to come home to a delicious comforting meal.
This one is a mix between extra summery and cozy comfort food. The perfect transitional recipe for mid-August through early October.
Side note, it’s crazy I just wrote out the words October. I can’t believe it’s mud August. Where has this year gone?uld
The inspiration for this one came from so many different ideas running through my head, but mainly, I had both my parents in mind when creating this recipe. We all know my mom loves rice, I’ve talked about it many times. But what I haven’t chatted about are the rice bakes my dad would make for my brothers and me when we were younger. He’d throw leftover rice in a casserole dish, add some kind of vegetable, usually broccoli, and then top it with cheddar cheese. Lots of cheddar cheese. He’d then throw the dish in the oven and let the cheese get extra crisp and crunchy over the rice and broccoli.
It was really simple, but one of mom’s favorites…mine too!
This is my summer, one-pot version of dad’s cheesy rice dish. It has a little more going on, but it’s easy and it is delicious!
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake…the quick and simple details.
It all starts and ends in one pot. Maybe two if you’re like me and decide you want to bake this in a real casserole dish.
Anyway, start with the zucchini. You want to caramelize the zucchini first before you add anything else. Then add a little onion, some chicken, a touch of butter, some rice, orzo, and fresh thyme. Cook until you’ve got a nice toasty smell going. Then add the broth and a few more seasonings. Cover and cook just like you would a normal pot of rice. Once this is finished cooking, simply top with cheese. I like using a mix of creamy Havarti and sharp cheddar.
And for that extra special touch? A sprinkle of everything bagel spice and fresh chives. It might sound odd, but I promise it’s delicious.
Oh and a quick note on that chicken. If you prefer to go the vegetarian route, just omit the chicken from the dish. Do what works best for you and your family. This bake is good with or without.
Bake then broil.
This is key. Bake the rice for ten or so minutes to melt that cheese, then switch the oven broil and let the cheese start to bubble up. Just be sure to watch closely, the broiler works quick.
As soon as you pull this out from under the broiler, add a bit of basil, serve, and ENJOY.
Super easy, right?
But yet so very good. The rice underneath stays soft and creamy while the cheese on top turns crispy and crunchy. The corners of the dish will form an insanely delicious, cheesy crust. The creamy, cheesy rice underneath? And that crunchy cheddar on top…with the everything spice and chives too?
Just. So. Darn. Good.
And guys, that’s pretty much it. Dinner all in one pan, and something I feel like the whole family can really enjoy. A little tip? if you have picky eaters at home, try shredding the zucchini instead of chopping it. They’ll never know they’re eating their chicken, rice, and vegetables too!
Looking for other easy back to school recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Homemade Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Browned Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Cheese Ravioli
Lastly, if you make this Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 763 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 small/medium zucchini, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice
- 1/2 cup dry orzo pasta (use gluten free if needed)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
- 3/4 cup shredded Havarti cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2-4 tablespoons everything bagel spice (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the zucchini is golden, 5-8 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the skillet and set aside.3. To the skillet, add the remaining oil and the onion. Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is seared, 2-3 minutes. Add the butter, garlic, rice, orzo, and thyme, and cook until golden and toasted, 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the zucchini back to the skillet. Add the cayenne and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is mostly cooked.4. Once the rice is cooked, stir in 1/2 cup of the Havarti and 1/2 cup of the cheddar. If needed, transfer the rice to an oven-safe casserole dish. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of each cheese overtop the casserole. Sprinkle on the everything spice and chives.5. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Switch the oven to broil and broil 1-2 minutes, until the cheese on top is becoming crispy. Serve warm with fresh basil.
Notes
To Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole through step 4. Let cool, then cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. To bake, remove from the fridge and let sit at room temp while the oven preheats. Bake as directed.
To Freeze: Prepare the casserole through step 4. Let cool, then cover tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 2-3 hours. Bake as directed.
Gluten Free Orzo: I love DeLallo brand gluten free orzo.
Dear Tieghan,
Where i live (Belgium) it’s very difficult to find the Havarti cheese, do you have any suggestions for an alternative?
Thanks in advance!
All the best,
Sophie
Hey Sophie,
Honestly, any cheese that you enjoy will work here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! If I want to make this for a group but one is vegetarian, how would you suggest adding the chicken to a portion of it.
Hey Brooke,
I would just add chicken to half of the dish. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Great recipe and will have plenty of leftovers for lunches this week! Will definitely make again!
Hey Ashleigh,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I’ve been dreaming about making this for months and finally got it together to make it last night. I was not disappointed AT ALL. This is literally jam packed with flavor–so warm and cozy, crispy, cheesy–PERFECT.
The only thing I would say (and I fully acknowledge that this could be user error/mercury in retrograde) is that the timing was so off in so many parts of this for me. The prep definitely took longer, the zucchini needed more time to brown–but the biggest thing was the rice. It took more than twice the amount of time for the rice to cook and even then it was still uneven. I have a suspicion it’s because I did not rinse the rice. I normally do but because it didn’t say to in the recipe I thought maybe I shouldn’t. I’m definitely going to make this again because it was 100% worth the wait but if anyone can guess/confirm where I went wrong with the rice, I’d be forever grateful.
Hey Emily,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Could you do this with pre cooked chicken? I have a bunch of pulled rotisserie chicken I’m trying to find a good recipe for.
Hey Ashton,
Sure, that would work well here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was delicious. So comforting and tasty. It would have been great as written, but I did throw in a pile of spinach before covering the rice mixture (more veggies!), and a little more cheese on top (I used a long casserole). The whole family enjoyed it and I will definitely be adding to the rotation.
Hey Krista,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Another winner Tieghan! Loved it!
Thanks Iris! xTieghan
Hi I only used 1 cup of rice instead of 1 1/2. It came out beautifully. Can’t imagine the proportions with that much rice! 2 cups rice and orzo should = 4 cups of broth, wouldn’t it? Recipe calls for 3 – just curious.
Hey Liz,
Thanks for trying the recipe, it works best for me as written:) xTieghan
I’ve been following you for about a year now and I’ve made quite a number of your recipes. I cook a lot and come from a long line of fabulous cooks. My husband is NOT a cook. He can maybe fry an egg. Tonight I made this recipe and he couldn’t get enough of it. I told him, “it’s another one of Tiegan’s”. He said, “who?” I went on to brag about you and tell him what a wonderful, inspiring, self-made chef you are! I showed him your IG stories and you happened to be making wonton soup (his favourite). He is now a big fan of you as well! Thanks again for this excellent chicken zucchini casserole recipe! I wish I could drop off a pie to you, as my gesture of thanks and encouragement.
Hey Lorrie,
I am so glad the recipe worked out for you! Thanks for making it:) Happy Friday! xTieghan
We made this for the second time tonight – it was a ‘clean out the fridge’ night here. We used mozzarella instead of havarti, supplemented the zucchini we had on hand with some chopped broccoli, and replaced the cubed chicken breast with ground chicken. Absolutely delicious – I will probably continue to use ground chicken, as it mixes nicely with the rice and veggies, and you get a little bite of everything in every forkful. Once again, a huge hit! Thanks!
Hey Alyssa,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Could I do the whole thing in a 5 1/2 qt Dutch oven? You put your recipes in baking dishes to make them prettier but if I don’t want to waste dishes can I keep it all in the ditch oven?!
Hey Rebecca,
Yes, I think that would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
It wouldn’t let me reply on your comment back to me… but I ended up just using basmati tonight (will definitely do wild rice next time). I also used italian seasoning (only 1/2 the amount) because I was out of thyme; and I had to omit the orzo because I’m gluten free. But the recipe was great, and I cannot wait to follow it exactly the next time I make it! Everything I’ve made of yours has been awesome, thank you for constantly coming up with new and different meal ideas!
(and I’m sorry for all the mean people on here giving you a hard time about traveling… so dumb!)
Thank you so much for your kind message Jenelle! I really hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
Plan on making this tonight… question – do you think I could use wild rice? I think the nutty flavor of the rice combo’s would be great, just not sure about the liquid ratio. I would also be omitting the orzo, I don’t have any gf on hand at the moment. Thanks!
Hey Jenelle,
Yes, I think wild rice would be awesome! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hello my friend!
What is a good side to make with this dish?!
Hey Colleen,
I would do a large salad! I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Have you ever tried to freeze this? I am trying to find (healthier) recipes that freeze well for elderly friends who live on their own, but don’t cook much. Got any recommendations? I love your recipes!
Hey Lisa,
This should be fine to freeze, I would just do so before baking. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
We dug this, though maybe could have used a touch more flavor for my taste. It felt like a healthier version of broccoli chicken cheese rice casserole! My husbands one complaint was the everything bagel seasoning-we will try it again without. And we didn’t think it reheated well-the cheese all but disappeared. To reiterate, we DID like this, we will just 1/2 the recipe from now on and leave out the everything bagel seasoning.
Hey Haley,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy New Year! xTieghan