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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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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.
This post was originally published on August 12, 2020
Made this tonight with zucchini from a generous neighbor’s garden. It was excellent & we will have it again. The directions only had a few challenges that had to figure out:
– the prep time is highly understated
– rice & orzo need to be clearly specified to add them uncooked
Overall, nice new dish for our family. It’ll be a great 1 to prep & freeze.
Thank you so much Dan! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this recipe for dinner this week and it was delicious! It’s just my boyfriend and I, so I made it on Monday and it lasted us three dinners! Thanks for all your amazing recipes Tieghan!!!
Thank you Emily! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Very good and easy…lots of flavor!
Thank you so much Anna!! xTieghan
Easy and delicious!
Love to hear that! Thank you Pam! xTieghan
I love every recipe I’ve tried on your site so far! Would it be possible to sub brown rice for both the orzo and white rice in this? I know the cooking time is longer and I’m a little concerned about overcooking the chicken breast in that case.
Hey Emily,
I haven’t tested this with brown rice, but it should work just fine without overcooking the chicken. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I would give this ten stars if I could. It is DIVINE. I had some asparagus I needed to use and added that in, and also shredded the chicken in the crockpot. SO GOOD ?
Thank you so much Sarah! xTieghan
This recipe was delicious! I ate off of it for 4 days because it was so good. Prep time took me longer than 15 minutes because of getting all the veggies ready but no complaints here!
Wow yes!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Elizabeth! xTieghan
This was an easy and delicious dish. My whole family lived it. Prepping ahead of time helps out a lot.
Thank you so much Marti! I am so happy you have been enjoying this! xTieghan
This was so delicious! I couldn’t stop eating it straight out of the skillet. Unfortunately, I didn’t have havarti on me at the time but am looking forward to making it again with both cheeses soon. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Marilu!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I just made this tonight and it may be my favorite HBH recipe so far! My family loves all of the food we try from HBH. I make at least one HBH recipe a week. I haven’t always loved to cook but I find that I really enjoy making your recipes. They use easy to find ingredients, are full of flavor, and are easy to make but still complex enough to make dinner feel exciting. Also, I just want to say… I’m sorry for all of the not so nice comments you get. People can be so mean when they’re behind a computer. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
Hi Samantha! I am so happy you have been enjoying my blog and recipes, I hope you continue to!! Thank you so much! Also, thank you for all of the kind words.. I really appreciate it! xTieghan
OH my Gawsh! What a culinary wonder!! My friend shared her garden squashes so I wanted to try this dish. The Everything Bagel spices make a nice bit of crunch to the crispy cheese!
Tieghan, it’s a winner!! Thank you for this Keeper!!
Aw I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! xTieghan
There is nothing more nutritionally vapid than zucchini and rice or more annoying than the 1,000 words it took to get to the part about the wizardry that pulled this glop together.
Hi Elaine! I have a “skip to recipe” button at the top of my site so you do not have to read through the post if you do not want to. There are plenty of other recipes on my site if you would like to try something else. xTieghan
Made this last night and two bites in my fiancée said, “mmm. Yeah. Put this one in the rotation” haha! I had a bunch of squash from my CSA to use up so this was perfect! I added a couple carrots because why not? The everything bagel seasoning made it so much more interesting!
Thank you so much Caitlin! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
My grandma requested a rice casserole for her birthday dinner and this recipe popped up! It was delicious, easy to make and everyone loved it. Thanks again for another fabulous recipe!
Thank you Stacey!! Love to hear that! xTieghan
I don’t know how it’s possible that I didn’t have any zucchini on hand, but I made this work with broccoli instead. That’s one of my favorite things about Half Baked Harvest, though. It’s really easy to adjust the recipes to whatever produce you have available. In the end I was wishing it had a bit more flavor, which may have been me doing a poor job of utilizing salt/pepper. After a taste test I sprinkled a layer of garlic salt over the top and it brought the flavor right where I wanted.
I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Lacey! Thank you so much! xTieghan