One Pot Greek Chicken and Orzo
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A true one pot dinner! This easy one pot Greek chicken is made with tender, juicy chicken and the creamiest orzo that cooks right in the pan!
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why you’ll love one pot greek chicken and orzo
- All in one meal. This easy dinner is all made in one single pot for a super speedy clean up – a weeknight blessing so to speak. We’re talking juicy, golden brown seasoned chicken thighs seared and cooked to perfection on a bed of creamy, dreamy, velvety orzo, topped with fresh cherry tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese.
- Sneaked in veggies. No one will notice all the spinach (or kale) sneaked right in, soaking up all the lovely flavors and saucy goodness, perfect for those picky eaters and grown ups who need their daily serving of veggies.
- Freezer-friendly meal. This Greek chicken and orzo is very much freezer-friendly (reheating very well) as it does not include any half and half or heavy cream!
What is orzo?
Orzo is a short-cut type pasta, similar in shape to a long grain of rice. Orzo can be added to one pot dishes, helping to thicken the dish naturally by releasing starch as it cooks in the broth, yielding a richer, more velvety smooth consistency.
How to make one pot greek chicken and orzo
- Cook the chicken. Season the chicken thighs or breasts with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken in a single layer in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear undisturbed until deeply golden brown, then flip and continue cooking the other side (internal temperature should reach 165°F). Set aside and keep warm. Pro tip: work in batches to avoid an overcrowded pan, which will steam the chicken instead.
- Sauté the aromatics. Stir in the shallots until tender. Then add in the garlic, oregano, basil, paprika, dill, thyme, and cinnamon until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour. Stir in the flour until lightly browned to cook down the raw flour taste. The flour will serve as a natural thickening agent for the orzo.
- Deglaze the pan. Pour in the chicken stock, lifting up the caramelized brown bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the orzo. Sir in the orzo, then reduce the heat and gently simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
- Stir in the leafy greens. Stir in the spinach (or kale) until wilted, then return the cooked chicken to the pot.
- Finish and serve. Sprinkle with cherry tomatoes and crumbled feta, and serve warm.
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One Pot Greek Chicken and Orzo: Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
Yes! Shred the rotisserie chicken, removing the skin and bones, and stir in the shredded meat towards the end of cooking time until heated through.
Not at all! You can add the dry, uncooked orzo directly into the pot, cooking right in the liquid to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
Kale, arugula, or swiss chard are all great alternatives to spinach.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Absolutely! Portion the chicken and orzo mixture separately into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently reheat the orzo on the stovetop, adding a splash of water to help loosen. Then reheat the chicken in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil, until warmed through (165°F).
One Pot Greek Chicken and Orzo
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 3 cups chopped baby spinach
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta
Instructions
- Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.
- Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, oregano, basil, paprika, dill, thyme and cinnamon until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with tomatoes and feta.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a heavy pot. A heavy bottom pot, such as a Dutch oven, is ideal here for even heat distribution and a better sear.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your chicken and orzo. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Deglaze the pan. This will release and dissolve all of the caramelized brown bits of food stuck to the bottom of the pan after searing the chicken, adding deep, rich flavors to the dish.
- Stir the orzo. As the orzo is small and starchy, stir the orzo regularly while it simmers to prevent any sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat the chicken in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
- Loosen the orzo with leftovers. The orzo will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits. When reheating leftover orzo, add a splash of water or stock to loosen the consistency.
- Freeze as needed. This is a dish that freezes very well, always freezing the chicken separately from the orzo mixture to preserve the texture and prevent sogginess.
- Mix it up. Swap or add in different veggies such as artichokes, bell peppers, and zucchini.
Did you make this recipe?
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Delicious! Add a squeeze of lemon and it pops! I will definitely make this again.
Do you know the nutritional information on this dish? I’m diabetic and wondering if it is safe for me to eat.
I made this with whole wheat orzo, which needed longer cook time..maybe an additional 6 minutes to fully cook and absorb the sauce. This was very easy and really good! My husband said it was restaurant quality . This is definitely going into the “Make Again” file. Thank you for another wonderful recipe….I haven’t found any recipe of yours that isn’t Damn Delicious!!
Can orzo be substituted for something else, like rice or quinoa? Excited to make this!
Absolutely. The cook times may vary a bit but either can be swapped!
My husband literally said FOUR times while eating this – “wow, is this good!” A great tasting, healthy, simple dinner we’ll definitely be making again.
Awesome recipe, thanks for sharing. My family loves this dish.
Very yummy. My whole family eats it. Glad to find away to have my children eat spinach. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
It was so delicious! We loved the flavors! We will be making this again!
What will be the alternative of feta ?
I spent the whole day wondering what to make for dinner. I didn’t have any ideas until I came across this blog post. Thank you for the inspiration. I have almost all the ingredients at home, so I’ll try to prepare it today. Recently, I’ve been preferring one-pot dishes like this.
This was the perfect meal! I especially enjoyed the fresh crunch of the tomatoes and the hint of cinnamon. No notes. ❤️
Once again you have out done yourself! This recipe is spectacular. I have yet to come across one of your recipes I don’t like! When I’m in a cooking slump I turn to your recipes!
Made this for dinner tonight, subbed chicken breast because I didn’t have thighs but I think thighs would have been so much better.
I wasn’t sure about the cinnamon but decided to just trust the recipe and I’m so glad I did! It was absolutely delicious.
I love how simple it was to throw together and can’t wait to have some guests over as I think the presentation is wonderful with the tomatoes and feta.
So so good.
Very delicious and flavorful! Recipe is simple to make and ingredients are easy to find.
Incredibly flavorful and easy!
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! No surprise there, but it has now become one of my favorites from CHUNGAH!
Wonderful dish! Husband and my sister loved it! Quick and easy clean up too.
I added a squeeze of lemon and it was delicious!!!
Delish! Used boneless breasts and did not have dill. I put the tomatoes in with the spinach to break them down a bit. The orzo took closer to 12 minutes to cook (I like orzo soft)
Made this tonight. AMAZING! No surprise there but has moved up to one of my favorites from CHUNGAH!
Can this be made beforehand and reheated? I will be making for company and I don’t like to cook in front of people?
Can this be made beforehand and be reheated?
Can this be made the day before serving?
Most things can.