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Greek Chicken Orzo in a skillet with olives, tomatoes, spinach, chickpeas, chicken and feta.
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Greek Chicken Orzo

This Greek Chicken Orzo is an easy one-pot recipe with juicy marinated chicken, tender orzo, spinach, tomatoes, olives, and feta tossed in a creamy, lemony Greek-inspired sauce.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 547kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup half and half
  • ¼ cup Greek vinaigrette salad dressing see notes
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce I use Frank’s
  • ¼ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base optional. See notes
  • ¾ teaspoons EACH: dried oregano, parsley, onion powder

Chicken

Orzo

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil can sub olive oil
  • ½ cup dry white wine see notes
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup red onions finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup orzo uncooked
  • 3 cups packed baby spinach
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ cup green and Kalamata olives pitted
  • 1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¾ cup feta cheese crumbled
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound it to an even ½-inch thickness. Slice into 2-inch pieces, pat dry, and season with the lemon pepper seasoning. Transfer to a gallon freezer bag along with 1/3 cup Greek dressing. Seal out the air and marinate at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
  • Heat olive oil in a deep, 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and discard the remaining marinade. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside. If the skillet has any blackened spots, carefully wipe them away, leaving the brown fond behind. The fond adds flavor to the sauce.
  • Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the skillet to loosen the flavorful browned bits. Reduce the wine by about half, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the butter and red onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Turn the heat off and let the pan cool for 1 minute. Add the combined sauce mixture, then bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
  • Add the orzo and bring it back to a gentle boil. Cook uncovered according to package instructions, stirring frequently. Important: Slide a silicone spatula along the bottom of the skillet throughout cooking to lift any orzo that may be settling.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low. The sauce will still be fairly loose at this point; the orzo will continue to absorb it as it stands.
  • Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, and chickpeas and cook for 1 minute, just until heated through.
  • Reduce heat to low and add the lemon juice and cooked chicken. Stir to combine and heat through.
  • Add the feta and stir to combine, it will melt slightly, but some texture will remain. The orzo and sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Remove from heat and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Redmond Real Salt lemon pepper seasoning is my favorite brand for seasoning this chicken, it also contains sea salt and has a lot of great flavor.  (Use promo code ‘COZY‘ for 15% off!) Some brands (like McCormick) can be potent so be aware of that and consider using less on the chicken.
  • My Homemade Greek Dressingis great in this recipe! (Farmer Boy “new recipe” Greek Dressing is good too!)
  • Bouillon: I like to add 1/4 tsp. Better Than Bouillon for depth of flavor. I use the same product to make chicken broth. (1 tsp. + 1 cup water = 1 cup broth.)
  • Wine: Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine to use in this recipe, followed by Chardonnay, and then Pinot Grigio. Chicken broth can be used if you don’t cook with wine.
  • Fresh Garlic Cloves (vs. jarred minced garlic), are best for this recipe if possible.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice is much more flavorful than bottled lemon juice as well.
  • Tomatoes: I slice them in half and place them slice-side-down on paper towels to absorb excess moisture before adding them to the dish.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes can be used instead of cherry tomatoes if preferred, they add a nice depth of flavor.
  • Note that high altitudes require more liquid and longer cooking times for one pot recipes. 
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers reheat well! 
  • Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. The orzo will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, so stir in a splash of chicken broth, half & half, or milk to loosen the sauce as it heats. Freshly crumbled feta can also be added after reheating for the best flavor and texture.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe. (Or 4 large servings.)

Nutrition

Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1379mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2082IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 3mg