This recipe for one-pot baked chicken and orzo is packed with all my favorite Mediterranean flavors like lemon, olives, fresh oregano, and feta cheese!
This easy dinner recipe is one of my all-time favorites, golden-brown crispy chicken thighs are cooked with lemon, garlic, shallot, white wine, and orzo. The orzo soaks up all of the delicious flavors in the pot and creates a velvety risotto-like consistency without all the work of making risotto! Top it off with fresh oregano, parsley, and feta cheese and you’ve got yourself a pretty fabulous dinner if you ask me!
The best part? Start to finish this recipe is complete in less than an hour and only requires one pot. I use my favorite Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Pot but you can use any oven-safe pot or pan that has a lid.
Ingredients in this Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make One-Pot Chicken with Orzo, Lemon, and Feta; bone-in chicken thighs, olive oil, chicken stock, orzo pasta, shallot, garlic, lemon, white wine, dijon mustard, olives, parsley, oregano and feta cheese.
Recipe Step by Step:
Step 1. Brown the Chicken Skin
Don’t rush, it takes about ten to fifteen minutes on medium heat to achieve super crispy, golden brown skin.
Step 1. Saute the Aromatics and Orzo
The flavor is infused into the orzo right at the start by sautéing it in chicken fat, garlic, and shallot.
Step 3. Deglaze with White Wine
Deglaze the pot with the white wine and reduce it by half then add in the dijon mustard and chicken stock.
Step 4. Bake
In the oven, the orzo will absorb the stock and wine resulting in a creamy, risotto-like consistency. To serve top with feta and herbs for a punch of freshness!
FAQs and Expert Tips:
Yes, you can use arborio rice instead of orzo.
This one-pot meal is great all on its own or you can serve it alongside a simple salad like; Herb Salad with Shaved Parm or The Everyday Dinner Salad.
Absolutely, you can swap the wine for chicken stock to make this recipe alcohol-free.
Check out more great recipes:
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One-Pot Chicken with Orzo, Lemon, and Feta
Ingredients
- 4-6 bone in chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium shallots peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 large cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and roughly chopped
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 2 c orzo pasta
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- ½ c dry white wine
- 3 c chicken stock
- 1 heaping cup pitted green olives like castelvetranos
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano plus extra for serving
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 8 oz feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Heat your largest sauté pan over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the pan and then place the chicken thighs into the pan skin side down. Cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes undisturbed until the skin is a deep golden brown then take the thighs out of the pan and set aside.
- Turn the heat to low and add in the garlic, shallot, and sliced lemon. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until aromatic then add in the orzo and a pinch of salt. Stir the orzo until it is evenly coated with the fat, garlic, lemon, and shallot.
- Next, add the dijon mustard and white wine. Let the wine reduce until it's almost completely evaporated, then place the chicken back into the pan along with the olives, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the stock to a simmer then cover and bake for 20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the orzo is tender and creamy.
- To serve, top the chicken and orzo with chopped parsley, oregano, and crumbled feta. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Chicken Thighs: You could use bone-in chicken breast or legs.
- Orzo: Arborio rice will work instead of orzo.
- White Wine: Use extra chicken stock if you prefer no alcohol.
- Feta: Goat Cheese, or omit for dairy-free.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers:
- Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 or on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of water or extra chicken stock to loosen up the orzo and chicken while it reheats.
Equipment Used: Lodge Enamel Dutch Oven
Brittany
This was absolutely AMAZING. Definitely going into the favorites to be made again and again. Really in love with how easy and delicious it was to make this. Can’t wait to cook this for friends and family and pass the recipe along! Such a good staple recipe, as I have most of those ingredients already at home. Thanks so much!
Cara
Hello!
Any reason not to cook this on the stove? I cannot remember is my large sauté pan is oven safe. Looks yummy! Thank you.
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
Hi Cara! As long as your large sauté pan doesn’t have a plastic handle it should be ok to go in the oven. Than being said, you can cook this on the stove top, just cook it over low heat and stir periodically to make sure the bottom doesn’t scorch. 🙂
Michelle
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I had to tweak a couple of things but it still was so flavorful. I used bone in chicken breast & for some reason they were all huge. I didn’t have fresh Oregano or parsley, so I used dried. I also used Kalamato olives & cut back on them because my kids don’t like olives. Next time, I’ll put the whole cup though & they can pick them out. As for cooking time, I cooked them longer on the stove since they were bigger and after 20 minutes in the oven, I removed the breast & put them on a sheet pan & cooked them for an additional 14 min till the temp read 180. I also threw in the Feta in the Orzo instead of putting it on top. Pure laziness on my part.
Yum! Big hit!
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
Hi Michelle! I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing all your tips for substituting chicken breast. Happy New Year!
Judi
I made the Greek lemon chicken orzo. The only thing I did differently was I chopped green and calamata olives and used chicken breasts. Delicious recipe, thank you!
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
So glad you liked it Judi! <3