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.
30-Minute One-Pot Greek Chicken Orzo:
What I love most about this recipe is that it’s a well-balanced meal that will keep you full and satisfied. It has everything: protein (chicken), veggies (cherry tomatoes and olives), carbs (orzo), and healthy fats (olive oil and feta cheese). It’s an easy Mediterranean-style main course that presents beautifully, making it ideal for special occasions when you have guests. No side dishes are needed—this 30-minute one-pot recipe is a complete meal on its own! The cleanup is minimal—perfect for a weeknight dinner or impressing guests when entertaining. Effortless, delicious, and your new go-to for busy nights!
Main Ingredients:
- Orzo is a short-cut pasta that looks similar to rice. Cook the pasta al dente for the best texture and rinse it under cold water after cooking to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Skinless boneless chicken thighs are what I used. You can also use chicken breasts or chicken tenders.
- Cherry tomatoes. I used 2 colors: yellow and red. Slice them in half.
- Olives. I used a combo of kalamata and Castelvetrano green olives.
- Feta cheese has a soft texture and briny flavor.
- Minced garlic is cooked together with orzo.
- Chicken stock, broth, or water is for cooking orzo.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds so much flavor!
- Seasonings include paprika, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Chopped fresh basil is for garnish.
How to Make Greek Chicken Orzo:
Get ready to whip up a fun and delicious Greek Chicken Orzo that will have everyone asking for seconds! Start by searing chicken thighs (seasoned with paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper) in a large pan until they’re golden brown, juicy, and tender. Set the chicken aside and cook orzo + garlic + chicken stock in the same pan. Let everything simmer together until the orzo is perfectly cooked. Then, toss in a medley of vibrant tomatoes, briny olives, fresh herbs, and lots of seasonings. Nestle the chicken back into the pan. Top it all off with tangy, creamy feta cheese. Note: this is the overview. The precise amounts and recipe instructions are below, in the recipe card.
What is Orzo?
Orzo is a short-cut pasta resembling long-grain rice in shape. It is made from flour, like usual pasta. Often, orzo is made with semolina (durum wheat used for making pasta).
What Can I Use Instead of Orzo?
You can use quinoa, jasmine rice, or short pasta, such as fusilli, farfalle (bow-tie pasta), penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or orecchiette. Cook these ingredients in a separate pot – don’t cook them in the same pan as you would orzo. Add them cooked.
What Kind of Chicken to Use?
- Skinless and boneless chicken thighs are what I used. They are juicy and tender and are quite forgiving to cook.
- Skinless and boneless chicken breasts are your next best choice. They do tend to dry out faster, so be sure to watch your cooking times closely, ensuring that the chicken is cooked all the way through quickly, without drying out.
- Chicken tenders are also a great choice for this recipe. Make sure to avoid overcooking as chicken tenders are small and cook fast.
Can You Make It Gluten-Free?
Make this recipe gluten-free by using orzo clearly labeled as “gluten-free”. Or, simply use long-grain rice instead.
Can You Make It Dairy-Free?
Use dairy-free, vegan feta cheese instead of regular feta.
Variations:
- Veggies. You can add 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 (have you ever tried those? They are the best-tasting olives ever!). You can also add black olives.
- Use either lime juice or lemon juice. The most important thing is that it’s freshly squeezed.
- Add capers, instead of olives or in addition to them.
- Add pine nuts as a topping. I like to toast pine nuts briefly (and carefully!) in the oven for an even richer flavor.
- Add other toppings, such as fresh herbs (basil, thyme, or oregano), chopped green onions, or chopped chives.
- Fresh herbs. Be sure to add fresh herbs, such as fresh basil, oregano, and fresh thyme.
- Spice. Add some heat by sprinkling cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes over the ingredients.
Storage and Reheating Tips:
- Fridge. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- To reheat in the microwave oven, reheat in 30-second increments until heated through.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Reheat this dish in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat. Add a small amount of olive oil + water or lime juice (or lemon juice) when reheating to prevent the chicken orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
What to Serve with Greek Chicken Orz:
Serve it with a fresh green salad and a slice of crusty olive bread, ciabatta, or focaccia.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Spinach-Mushroom-Orzo in a Creamy Garlic and Smoked Paprika Sauce
Chicken and Potatoes in Dijon Cream Sauce
Greek Chicken Orzo
Equipment
- Lodge Oval Brasier/Casserole optional
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
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).
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