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chicken pot pie orzo 511388782

California Chicken Pot Pie Orzo Bake

A creamy chicken pot pie orzo bake with cottage cheese, vegetables, and a crisp sourdough topping. High-protein weeknight comfort food.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 585
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup dry orzo cooked one minute shy of package directions
  • 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese blended until smooth
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth plus extra if needed
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest from a California Meyer lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon California olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery finely diced
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken rotisserie or leftover
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh sourdough breadcrumbs preferably from day-old San Francisco sourdough
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
  4. In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, egg, chicken broth, flour, Dijon, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Blend on high until perfectly smooth.
  5. In a large bowl, stir together the drained orzo, sautéed vegetables, shredded chicken, peas, and Parmesan. Pour the cottage cheese mixture over the top and fold until evenly coated.
  6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer.
  7. In a small bowl, toss the sourdough breadcrumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole.
  8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 585kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 36gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 900mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7g

Notes

Use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or leftover turkey works too.
Cook the orzo one minute less than the package directions so it does not get mushy in the oven.
If the filling looks thick before baking, stir in an extra splash of chicken broth.
Blend the cottage cheese mixture until completely smooth for the creamiest texture.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat with a little broth.
Assemble the casserole without the breadcrumb topping, refrigerate overnight, then add crumbs before baking and add about 5 minutes to the bake time.
Serve with a crisp green salad tossed with California olive oil and a squeeze of Meyer lemon.

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