I love chicken, and I love orzo. It’s also no secret that I have a slight obsession with feta cheese and tomatoes. It’s no wonder why this Greek Chicken and Feta Orzo recipe inspired by Recipetineats becomes one big bowl of delicious flavors that I could eat every day.

Whenever I see a chicken recipe, I instantly look to see if it’s mandatory to allow the chicken to marinate for a long period of time. No one enjoys starting to cook a recipe just to see that it would taste 1000 times better if you marinate the protein beforehand, right? I’ll tell you right away that marinating the chicken overnight is beneficial but not absolutely mandatory. It tastes delicious regardless, but allowing it to soak in the marinade for even a short amount of time can do wonders.

Greek Chicken and Feta Orzo

Ingredients

Lemon Garlic Chicken

1 lb/500g Skinless Chicken Thighs/Breast, preferably boneless, cut into 2 cm/1″ pieces
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
½ Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Pepper
½ tsp Salt

Orzo

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
2 Medium Zucchini (Or 1 large), cut into 1cm cubes (Replacement options include frozen vegetables, carrots, beans, celery, diced cauliflower or broccoli)
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into 1cm
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
2½ cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
14 oz/400g canned Crushed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1½ cups Orzo
1½ Cups Cherry Tomatoes
½ cup (100g) Greek feta cheese , crumbled
Salt and Pepper

Optional Garnish:

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice to be drizzled at the end
Fresh oregano leaves

Instructions

Marinade the chicken in the lemon, olive oil, garlic and oregano. You can marinade it overnight if time allows for this, but even 20 minutes will be enough to add flavor.

Use a large ovenproof skillet/frying pan/large pot to lightly brown the chicken. There’s no need to cook the chicken through at this point, so browning should only take about 2-3 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan, then sauté the garlic and onion, followed by the zucchini and red bell pepper.

Add the orzo and stir to coat, then add everything else. (The canned tomato, tomato paste, chicken stock, salt and pepper). Stir to combine, then top (do not stir them in) with the chicken and cherry tomatoes.

Once the liquid starts to bubble, transfer the pan to the oven with no lid. Cook for 15 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Remove the pan from the oven. There should still be small pools of liquid on the surface.

Drizzle the dish with lemon juice and crumbled feta, and add the fresh oregano if desired.

Enjoy!

Note

Leftovers should be eaten within 3 days. The orzo will absorb any liquid, so if reheating, add a bit of water. Top with fresh feta and lemon juice to really enhance the flavors.

Related:

Cheesy Vegetable Orzo Soup
Italian Wedding Soup Inspired Orzo
One Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo Recipe