Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
Made entirely in one pot in under an hour using healthy vegetables and herbs...so darn easy, and so darn delicious!
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.
Recipe 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.
Our Favorite Recipes
Instant Pot Chipotle Cheddar Corn Chowder.
Hi Tieghan!
Could I use chicken thighs for this? I ALWAYS over cook chicken breasts:-( I also love the idea of shredding some of the zucchini maybe half and half. It’s aways good too to find another way to use everything bagel spice,
Thank you!
Kristen Berry
Hey Kristen,
Yes chicken thighs would work and same with shredding the zucchini! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My daughter’s school is doing the online thing now, but next week we are going a hybrid schedule. So part of the school will go on Tuesday and Thursday, the other part will go on Wednesday and Friday, and everyone is online Monday. When the kids aren’t in the classroom, they have online work to do. I work at the school she goes to though so we will be there every day.
Aw that sounds like a crazy schedule! I hope it is all working out well! xTieghan
It looks delicious! But I noticed with the slicing, chopping, peeling onions & garlic & grating of ingredients-Prep time will be way more than 15 minutes! Not a problem but you and all other chefs who post recipes need to state more reasonable & realistic prep times in your publishings!
I apologize for that Sammy! I hope this still turned out amazing for you! xTieghan
Looks delicious! Are there any adjustments if I leave out the orzo?
Hey Amy,
If you want to omit the orzo, just use 2 3/4 cups of broth. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Not sure where Asher and your parents would be traveling to this year. Folks from the US aren’t exactly welcome anywhere these days. Hope that changes but the reason kids aren’t in school is because of the pandemic so options are limited.
Hi Vicki! It would definitely be inside of the US. I think traveling to national parks and camping would be an amazing learning experience for her! xTieghan
Tieghan:
I love, love, love your blog. I am a market farmer and grow a huge quantity of herbs and specialty veg. Of course I like to serve these goodies to my fam, too, and your recipes are perfect for me: so rich in fresh, seasonal veg and lots of herbs! THIS recipe is especially great because I have several zucchini sitting on my back porch, AND my 14yo son is a little *erm* particular, so getting him to eat it is a little tricky. Shredding the zucchini is a great tip!
OH: about school. I homeschool my kiddos, and my 14yo is my baby (of 6) so school hasn’t changed much for us. I actually am taking him to the city for a homeschool coop for math and science this year, which is a first for us. I’m hoping those classes will still be ongoing? Just grateful for every day, and trying to not stress out if things change.
Thanks, girl!
Thank you so much Amy!! I hope you all love this recipe if you get a chance to try it! I am glad school stuff hasn’t changed too much for you as well! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make this tonight! But umm… wouldn’t traveling expose your sister (and others) to a much higher chance of getting sick? Especially compared to just two days a week in school. Anyway, all the best! I hope this virus thing is over soon!
Hi Jane! I could see how it might, but they would most likely do more of a road trip through national parks and such.. I don’t know! We will see 😊 xTieghan
Do you have to use the orzo as well or could you just double up on rice? This is perfect for using up all my zucchini & squash but I’m trying to avoid going to the store today, haha!
Hey Sydney,
If you want to omit the orzo just use 2 3/4 cups of broth. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Greetings Tieghan! Just picked a bunch of Costata Romanesco zucchini from my garden (best zucchini on the planet btw!) and this recipe looks delicious, so will likely be our dinner for tonight 🙂 Just a quick question tho – would my Staub 5.5-qt cocotte work for this or is a cast iron skillet a better idea? Am thinking that the cocotte might be too deep therefore the cheese might not crisp up enough. And if you do recommend the skillet, would you suggest a 10″ or 12″ – I have both. Thanks, and wishing you a cheery, creative day! 🙂
Hey Marcie,
I would recommend using the Staub cocotte and then transferring to a baking dish to bake, this will creating an even heat distribution and cheesiness throughout the dish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I already printed this out and when I go to the grocery store tomorrow I’ll get the Havarti and make it right away because it sounds amazing?
Hey Betsy,
I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
This recipe was great! Instead of chicken I used plant-based protein product and white beans. I read recipes in metrics and would be helpfull if liquid stuff like water would be in liters or desiliters.
Thank you so much Salla! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I had never thought to do jasmine rice in a cheesy dish, but omg! So tasty! It works so well with the sweet zucchini and the slightly floral note of the thyme! Orzo was the only thing I was missing, so I just made it with all jasmine rice. Excellent!!
Amazing!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Kate!! xTieghan
Guessing the garlic goes in after sautéing the onion? I think you may have left that part out 🙂
Hey Dawn,
The garlic is added later on in step 3. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Took a lot longer to prep. Well worth it . next time will start an hour earlier. an ad seemed to be embedded in the directions and couldn’t get rid of it so winged it. This was so good. love faro and always looking for recipes to use it in.
I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you, Marie! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Hi! Love this recipe but noticed one thing–you have garlic on the list of ingredients but I can’t find it anywhere in the instructions. Where does it go? With the onions?
Hi Amanda,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try. Sorry if you missed it, but the garlic is listed in step 3. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
Love the recipes on here
Thank you so much Debra! xTieghan
Delicious recipe! I made it tonight. I added the minced garlic with the chicken. I thought the 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper was a little overpowering. I would suggest reducing the Cayenne Pepper or alternatively leaving it out and serving it with Sriracha sauce at the end.
Thank you so much Anne Marie! xTieghan
This recipe looks so yummy! I’m eager to make it. My fiancé is not a huge zucchini fan- do you have a good substitute? Or do you find that you don’t even notice it since it’s mixed with cheesy rice and pasta goodness?
Hey Jesse,
Broccoli would be a great sub for the zucchini! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Do you think I could sub in salmon instead of the chicken? Or would it not bake/cook right?
Hey Maggie,
You could totally make that work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have recently discovered farro and I love it! Do you think I could swap either the rice or orzo with the farro to try?
Hey Kristen,
I would swap the orzo for the farro and follow the recipe as is! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Easy to make and very tasty.
Thank you Manoj! xTieghan
Yes, travelling during a global pandemic that just keeps getting worse sounds like a brilliant idea…. 🙄🙄🙄
Do you read your comments btw? Based on some of your replies, it doesn’t seem like it (unless you are being very passive aggressive)
Hi! Of course that was just an idea for them and they would take all of the precautions before going anywhere. And yes, I do read all of my comments and I love your guys feedback on it all! xTieghan
Another winner! This dish was delicious. Half of my family does not like cheese (how am I related to them!!!) So I modified the recipe and only baked half in the oven with cheese. I received rave reviews from both the cheese eaters and the non-cheese eaters. Thank you for another wonderful dinner idea!
Haha wow! I am really glad this could be modified so easily though! Thank you so much for trying this Ginger! xTieghan
These recipes sound amazing!
Thank you Amy! xTieghan
To keep it Weight watchers friendly, I used riced cauliflower instead of rice, reduced the orzo to 2oz and used fat reduced cheddar only. It was still quite good without the extra fat
Amazing! Thank you so much for trying this and sharing how you modified!! Love it! xTieghan
I love your recipes! I just have a question, would you be able to include measurements for dry herbs as well on recipes? I would love to use fresh but unfortunately stock locally is hit or miss, so I more often than not use dry.
Hi Andrea,
Thanks so much for your feedback, I will definitely consider adding this to my recipes! xTieghan
Hi, if I use brown rice would I add everything and cook it all for 40/45 min?
Hey Karla,
I would follow the recipe as is with the brown rice. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Do you think wild rice could be substituted for the orzo?
Hey Kat,
If you wanted to you could simply omit the orzo and reduce your broth to 2 3/4 cups. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Ok, I feel compelled to comment here. I often read comments to find little tweeks or substitutions that people have made to a recipe. But I must say I am surprised how nasty and snarky some of these comments are. This gal seems lovely and is simply giving you ideas and recipes for you to try. You don’t have to subscribe to the blog. You don’t have to try the recipe. If you don’t like the recipe, MOVE ON, trust me no one gives a crap! If you are one of the people that took the time to be nasty, here is your wake up call. Try DOING something, maybe start your own blog, go volunteer somewhere, you have WAY too much time on your hands. Let’s try and be kind people.
Hi Eileen! Thank you for being so sweet and leaving this comment! I agree to be kind, especially online! You never know who you are talking to or what they are going through! xTieghan
this was a hit with my husband and kids! super easy to make and so many ways to mix in other veg or chicken thighs, depending on what I have in my fridge! can’t wait to make this in the winter as well! delicious comfort food!
Thank you so much Lori! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you all!! xTieghan
I just made this tonight and it’s soooo good!!! The everything spice definitely kicks it up a notch.
VERY well received by everyone I fed it to tonight!
I am so happy this turned out amazing for you, Jen!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I can’t wait to make these recipes.
Thank you so much Glenda! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! The everything bagel seasoning is a must! Thank you for another delicious recipe.
Thank you so much Sandi! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Made this for the first time tonight. It was delicious! I had cook quinoa and brown rice in the microwave and added it. I probably should has used less chicken broth because the dish was a little soupy, but the taste was wonderful. I really appreciate having a recipe that is so adaptable. I’m sure I’ll make many variations in the future. Thank you! 😷🙂
Thank you so much Patty! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! Can’t wait to hear about other variations you try! xTieghan
I loved this! Substituted the rice with farro. Much more than 15 min prep time though. But loved it
Thank you so much!! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!! I love your casserole rice dishes. Your chicken, broccoli, and cheddar one is one of our house favorites! My question for this one is: If I have leftover already cooked jasmine rice I want to use, how would I adjust the recipe? Thank you!
Hey Megan,
You could totally do this! Just skip the cooking of the rice and toss it with the onion, zucchini mix, add cheese, bake it. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this last night, and it was delicious! What a great way to use our summer veggies and herbs from the garden! I love that it only used one pot- lifesaver these days with all the cooking I am doing. I was somehow out of rice, so I used all orzo, and it was still wonderful!
Thank you so much Madison! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
So delicious – even my zucchini hating husband loved this. I used old cheddar and mozzarella just because that’s what was opened and in my fridge, and it still came out perfect 🙂 10 stars
Wow love to hear that! Thank you for trying this, Jade! xTieghan
My family loved this casserole. The “Everything But The Bagel” seasoning really takes this dish to it’s ultimate deliciousness. I did not add the zucchini back in until the dish went into the oven…I prefer my zucchini slightly firm. Next time I’ll use more cheese. And one last thing…do some prep work earlier in the day.
Hi Denise! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
I made this tonight with no orzo and also added some peppers from my garden, delicious and easy weeknight meal!
Love to hear that! Thank you Gabriella! xTieghan
I made this with chicken thighs and my family loved it!
My daughter added peas to her second helping. Summer comfort food! I’ve been trying to make more and more of your recipes and I’m really enjoying them. I’m a flavorists by profession and a foodie by heart! Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you so much Amy!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
This looks absolutely delicious!! Thank you for offering vegetarian options as well in most of your recipes 😊.
I’m from The Netherlands and the kids here (including my 7 year old) are returning full-time to school. I’m slightly apprehensive about this since covid-19 is on the rise again, but we don’t really have a choice as homeschooling is not allowed here.
Hi Diana! I am really glad you like this and I hope you get a chance to try it! I didn’t know you were not allowed to homeschool there! Is there a reason why not? I hope everything goes smoothly for you and your family! And you stay safe!! xTieghan
Loved this! A new family favorite for sure! I love that this is an easy to make dish but the flavors seem like I slaved all day!
That is amazing! So glad this turned out so well for you, Malia! xTieghan
Sneaky good. I’ll be honest, I made a LOT of HBH recipes and I chose this because zucchini is so plentiful, but was a bit with tried this would lack flavor. My family all echoed how good this was! Don’t undercook the zucchini- the flavor really pops when it browns a bit!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much for trying this one, Steve!! xTieghan
Can dried thyme be used in place of fresh thyme? If so, how much?
Hey Jessica,
Yes that would be fine to use, I would use 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi, this looks great! We have one that hates zucchini, what is a good substitute?
Hey,
Broccoli would be a great sub for the zucchini. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
OMG just made this with our abundance of summer zucchini. It was amazing! In fact I could’ve used another 2 full zucchini in it! Delicious!
Thank you so much Erin!! xTieghan
This looks great!! Any adjustments that need to be made if the rice is omitted and just orzo is used (i.e., 2 cups orzo)?
Hey Sydney,
I am honestly not sure how this would work. You would need to seriously reduce the amount of liquid. You could sauté the zucchini and cook the orzo separately and then add to a baking dish with the cheese. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
We made this and absolutely loved it!! We used a bit more zucchini to use up some of our garden produce, and added a couple chopped carrots. I love reading your blog and we’re so grateful for all the delicious, creative recipes!
Thank you Jamie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
t much adunk on your webpage for this recipe.cannot get it TO LOAD TO PRINT
Hi Deborah! I am sorry about that. Is there anything I can do to help? xTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight. I don’t eat dairy so I left out the cheese and it’s still incredible! Great job on this recipe! ❤️
Thank you so much Virginia! xTieghan
Yum!!! I made tghis, sans the chicken and orzo. I made it with brown basmati rice and instead of 3 zucchini, I did 2 and added 8 ounces of mushrooms. This tastes so good I want to make more of it next week!!!
So happy this turned out so well for you Sherri! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This was so good! Added mushrooms! So good. Husband loved! Thank you so much 🙂
Thank you so much Meg! xTieghan
This was so good! Loved the Havarti. Was easy to make and my husband liked it too. Will make again!
Thank you so much Kirsten! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this for my family over the weekend and it was delicious! Definitely adding it to my dinner rotation, especially when I have plenty of garden zucchini on hand. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Love that! Thank you so much Lynda! xTieghan
The rice is cooked when I add it in correct? Thank you!
He Mayra,
No, the rice is not cooked, that’s why there is so much liquid in this recipe. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Do you have the nutritional information for this?
Hi Kelly! I am really sorry, but I do not have the nutritional information for this recipe. I would recommend using a online calculator for this! xTieghan
10 STARS
Thank you! xTieghan
Tieghan this recipe is absolutely delicious. The cayenne amount is perfection! My picky eater fiance now believes zucchini is his favorite vegetable after trying this. The only thing I had to change was Gouda cheese instead of havarti because my local store didn’t have havarti.
love to hear that!! I am really glad you both enjoyed this recipe, Lauren! Thank you!! xTieghan
This recipe is amazing! I shredded the zucchini like you suggested and my 2 year old loved it! My husband told me to put it on “the list” which is my list of rotating dinner recipes 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you so much Tami! I am really glad this turned out well for you! xTieghan
Great way to use up 3 zucchinis. I’m a slow prepper but it was worth the wait. I used chicken thighs. Would it be possible to give cheese amounts by weight? Not that you can have too much cheese, but I like to know how much to buy.
Hi Ann! I will definitely try in the future! A 3/4 cup of cheese is about 62.3 grams. I hope this helps! xTieghan
This recipe was so good. I used boneless chicken thighs instead of breast, I didn’t have any garlic so I used garlic powder, and I accidentally doubled the cayenne pepper, and wow it was so delicious I can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow.
I’m new to half baked harvest – discovered you about 3 weeks ago – and I have yet to make a recipe that I dislike. Keep up the great work!!!
Hi Macy! I am really glad this turned out so well for you!! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes and blog! Thank you so much Macy! xTieghan
Just made this for dinner and it was so easy and so tasty! I separated some zucchini and onions at the beginning to cook a vegetarian version as well and both the meat and meatless versions were delicious. Thank you!!
Thank you Peyton! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
This was delicious! I’m terrible at cooking rice so as always that was a challenge…. It took a bit longer and I had to add extra liquid but it was so worth it. We loved the combination of the sharp cheddar + havarti!
Thank you so much Bethany! I am really glad this recipe turned out well for you! xTieghan
Oh, and the everything bagel spice is an awesome touch! Genius idea!
Thank you so much Bethany! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Everyone loved this dinner! We are also going to try broccoli instead of zucchini next time. I also added corn for a little crunch 🙂
Ooo love that! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Nikki! Thank you!! xTieghan
I made this for dinner last night and thought it was incredible. I only had mozzarella, Parmesan, and medium cheddar cheese so I used a combo of those instead of the havarti and sharp cheddar. I also sautéed zucchini and onions together to save time. It came out so yummy. I have been making your recipes for years- ever since you made that Halloween chocolate ganache cake with the caramel-dipped apples on top with the twigs sticking out. I’m hooked. Thanks for another great Family-friendly, seasonal recipe!
Thank you so much Jessie! I am really happy this turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
Just made this and it is AMAZING! I’m not sure I’ve ever made anything that was bad from any of your recipes, and I’ve tried quite a lot!! This will be on rotation at my house, easy & makes plenty for us! Question – how would you recommend re-heating if we eat it 2 days in a row?
Hey Stephanie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! To reheat I would cover with foil and pop it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I was excited that this recipe popped up right after a friend had given me 3 golden zucchini fresh from her backyard garden!
One quick question: did you use already cooked rice or is the rice uncooked when it goes into the pot? I saw your mention of your dad using precooked rice, and just wondered if I could do the same bake time etc with uncooked.
Hey Cara,
I use uncooked rice, which is why there is so much liquid in the recipe. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
A hit with the whole family. I added extra Havarti and I don’t regret it!
Thank you so much Meghanne!! xTieghan
i added mushrooms with the zucchini- so yummy!
also- heads up as you do need a LARGE skillet to prep everything in. i thought mine was fairly large but it was filled to the brim while simmering!
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Beth! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I made the pork chops with fig balsamic vinegar, peaches and feta and it was FANTABULOUS!! I am a big famn of Samin Nosrat who wrote Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and I think Tiegen has a cooking sensibility much like hers. She knows how to make everything delicious with mostly minimal effort. Thank you for the best cooking site on the internet!!! You have a gift.
Wow yes!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Debbie! Thank you for trying it!! xTieghan
This was simple to make and delicious! My husband loved it too! What adjustment would I make if I wanted to do all orzo?
Hey Sara,
I would recommend making the orzo on the side and then assembling the dish to bake. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this and it turned out so good! Had a lot more flavor than I thought. Will definitely make again.
Thank you so much Kelly!! xTieghan
This recipe is delicious!!!
My husband and I ate it for 3 days and it was just as good on day 3 as it was on the 1st day, maybe better. I made it exactly as the recipe is written except I can’t eat onions, so I left them out but added more garlic and instead of Havarti, I used organic shredded Monterey Jack because I could not find Havarti pre shredded. I know that you’re supposed to shred it yourself, but when you have arthritis, you have to make an exception.
I made the recipe for the 1st time a few weeks ago, and my husband is asking for it again but with a twist. I am making it for dinner today with zucchini, yellow squash and baby Bella mushrooms no chicken!
I think this recipe is fantastic as is, but if you love veggies I think it will be equally as good.
Thanks so much fo this delicious recipe!!!
Hi Karen! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it! 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
Easy and delicious!
Love to hear that! Thank you Pam! xTieghan
Very good and easy…lots of flavor!
Thank you so much Anna!! 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
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 last night and it is absolutely delicious! Perfect comfort food as we transition into fall. I do agree that prep time should be updated. Lots of ingredients to prep. Cook time was right on.
Love to hear that! Thank you Lisa! xTieghan
What a crazy delicious, versatile recipe! We had a handful of super small potatoes I sauteed in right before I added zucchini – and I probably used way more zucchini than recipe stated just because I had half of a gigantic garden zucchini to use up. And it still worked out perfectly. The only other thing I’d say is that by the time I cooked on the stove for 15 minutes in broth everything was cooked, so I just put the oven directly on broil for 4-5 minutes until things had started browning. 🙂
Love that!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Christine! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi there! Do you add the rice AND orzo dry before the broth?
Hey Courtney,
Yes, that is correct! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was amazing! Made it this weekend. So easy and very flavorful. My husband loved
It too! I added extra chicken because I like high protein but otherwise followed it exactly. It made 10 servings for us. Have it printed and it is going on my regular rotation:)
I am so happy you both loved this one, Jennifer! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Hi! I was wondering what size casserole dish you suggest? 9×13?
Thank you, love your blog so much. It is my go-to for unique and different recipes when I am not sure what to make.
Hey Haley,
Thanks so much for your kind message! Yes, a 9×13 is great! Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
What sides do you suggest?
Hey Allison,
I would do a large salad with this! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just made it, and it was great! I was amazed about the time estimate, start to finish was exactly 55 min! I added a few handfuls of fresh spinach in just to get extra veggies (mixed in at the same time as the cheese), and that worked out awesome too. No other changes. Delicious! My two year old even went for a second helping!
Aw that is so amazing! I am really glad you all enjoyed this one so much, Christina! xTieghan
Absolutely amazing! Easy, serves a lot, has your vegetable serving, & DELICIOUS! I’m a big fan of this recipe.
Thank you Hailey! xTieghan
I love this recipe! I live alone and it’s so great to make it at the beginning of the week and eat throughout the week. I even like to have it with eggs for breakfast!
Yes!! So glad you have been loving this one, Sarah! Thank you! xTieghan
This is easy and delicious! Will definitely put this in my dinner rotations.
Thank you so much JM! xTieghan
Made this recipe twice in one week cause I love it so much!
Love that!! Thank you Kayla! xTieghan
So delicious. Reminded me of Mac and cheese but Healthier… because zucchini. Makes plenty so boyfriend and I had a ton of leftovers for lunches!
Hey Emily,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So delicious and filling!
Hey Meagan,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, I recently discovered your site and this was the first recipe that caught my eye. It tasted amazing, no, that’s not descriptive enough…it was absolutely ‘yumtastic’! Enjoyed the initial meal and all the lunchtime leftovers so very much! Also surprised at how easy it was to make as I’m just learning to cook. And with that, here comes the dumb question. When making bakes and casseroles, do you add in the rice dry or rinse it off first? Hope you had a wonderful holiday season and thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes and introductory thoughts. OK, got to get back to picking out my first dessert recipe! Decisions, decisions…ok, maybe I’ll make two if I can’t decide. LOL
Hey Lisa,
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! I just add my rice dry. Happy New Year! xTieghan
Recipe is great with leftover turkey from Christmas! Thank you.
Thanks so much! xTieghn
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Another winner Tieghan! Loved it!
Thanks Iris! 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
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
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
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
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
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