Greek Chicken Orzo (30 Minutes, One-Pot)

Greek Chicken Orzo with cherry tomatoes and olives - in a cast iron skillet.

Greek Chicken Orzo (30 Minutes, One-Pot)

Greek Chicken Orzo is a one-pot wonder made with tender chicken thighs, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and tangy, creamy feta cheese. This quick and easy Mediterranean-style recipe delivers a restaurant-quality meal that's sure to become a family favorite.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Keyword greek chicken orzo

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 745kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Chicken

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1.5 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons olive oil divided

Orzo

1.5 cups uncooked orzo
3 cups chicken stock or broth, or water
4 cloves garlic minced

Vegetables

8 oz cherry (grape) tomatoes red and yellow, sliced in half
½ cup kalamata olives pitted, sliced
½ cup Castelvetrano olives or other green olives, pitted, sliced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Feta cheese mixture

4 oz feta cheese crumbled or diced into small cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

How to sear the chicken

Heat an empty large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as stainless steel or cast iron) over medium heat for 3 minutes. This allows the skillet to heat through.
Season the chicken thighs on both sides, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub in the seasonings: paprika, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Add seasoned chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on one side on medium heat for 5 minutes undisturbed.
Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer until it's cooked through. The meat thermometer should register 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the chicken. Remove from heat. Remove the chicken from the skillet, leaving the juices in.

Cook orzo

To the same, now empty, skillet, add uncooked orzo and minced garlic. Toast the orzo with chicken juices for about 2 minutes on medium heat, constantly stirring.
Add chicken stock and cook for about 10 minutes, uncovered, occasionally stirring to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The orzo should absorb all the liquid and be tender in about 10 minutes. You might have to add some extra liquid and/or cook longer if needed.

Add veggies

Add halved cherry tomatoes and sliced pitted olives to the skillet with cooked orzo. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir and gently reheat on low heat—season with salt and pepper.

Make feta mixture

In a medium bowl, combine cubed or crumbled feta cheese with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, dried oregano, freshly ground black pepper, and half of the chopped fresh basil.

Assembly

Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet with the orzo and reheat. Top the chicken and the veggies with the feta cheese mixture. Top with the remaining chopped fresh basil.

Notes

Veggies. Add sliced cucumber, roasted bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, mushrooms, or capers.
Cheese. Use feta cheese, halloumi, mizithra, or any other Greek cheese you love.
Olives. I used a mixture of calamata and green Castelvetrano olives. You can also add black olives.
Refrigerate the leftovers for 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of chicken stock, lemon juice, or water to prevent the orzo from sticking.
Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta. You can use cooked rice instead of orzo (reduce cooking times accordingly).

Nutrition