You’ll love this comforting one-pan chicken orzo recipe, prepared Greek-style! Boldly seasoned chicken, nestled in a mixture of tiny orzo pasta with onions, bell peppers, and tomato and baked to tender, creamy perfection. Easy and satisfying.
Chicken dinners are always a winner at my house. And luckily, there are so many options from juicy baked chicken thighs, to chicken piccata and grilled souvlaki, which make a lot of during the summer months.
But as a busy home cook, I’m always up for one-pan dinners, and I’ve been rotating between chicken and rice with warm Middle Eastern flavors and today’s bold and comforting Greek-Style chicken orzo, which is my girls’ favorite!
Why this chicken orzo bake works!
There is so much I love about this chicken orzo bake! A comforting, one-pot meal to feed a hungry little crowd, that’s for sure. But the real draw is in the flavors!
Boneless chicken thighs take on a bold seasoning with dried oregano, paprika, and coriander. Then, the chicken is nestled in a mixture of tiny orzo pasta with aromatics including onions, garlic, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Yes, it is what we call around here, a flavor party!
Once baked in the delicious, flavor-packed tomato broth, the orzo soaks up all the goodness and turns extra plump, and the result is a velvety, creamy chicken orzo! This is all the comfort without the use of any butter or heavy cream.
And for me, a sprinkle of good feta cheese seals the deal on this comforting orzo recipe.
Fewer dishes to clean is never a bad thing, but just be sure to grab something like a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot to fit all the ingredients.
What is orzo?
Orzo is not rice. It is a tiny, short-cut pasta that is shaped like a large grain of rice. Orzo is traditionally made from wheat semolina flour or white flour but you can find whole wheat and gluten-free versions as well (so even my gluten free friends will have a way to make this!)
Orzo pasta is super convenient and quick to cook. That’s exactly why I keep it on hand to use in everything from a one-pot orzo with chicken, to shrimp soup, or even a vegetarian main like this orzo recipe tossed with chickpeas and zucchini.
How to cook orzo?
As with any pasta, the typical way to cook orzo is in salted boiling water, and it will take somewhere around 8 minutes or so. If I am making it to use in an orzo salad or just as a plain side or bed for a saucy shrimp recipe, that is how I would cook my orzo. But today’s recipe is different.
In something like this Greek orzo recipe with chicken, you do not need to cook the orzo in boiling water first. Instead, dry orzo is baked in the flavorful, tomato broth with the chicken and vegetables all in one pot. It will take about 20 minutes in the oven, and the result is velvety, creamy, extra plump orzo pasta that everyone loves!
How to make chicken and orzo
To make this easy, weeknight orzo recipe, be sure to grab a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot to fit the chicken, orzo, and vegetables. Here is how it goes:
- Season and brown the chicken
Mix together 2 teaspoons oregano and 1 teaspoon each paprika and coriander with a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Then get rub this spice mixture all over the chicken (both sides). Squeeze a lemon all over the chicken and set aside for a few minutes as you work to prepare other things.
In your Dutch oven, heat up some good extra virgin olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides. This will take 8 to 10 minutes or so. Transfer the chicken to a plate so you can use the Dutch oven for the rest. - Sautee the vegetables
Grab 2 bell peppers, any colors you like, and cut them into rings. Throw the peppers in the pot and cook until they gain some color.
Set the peppers aside and throw some chopped onions (2 cups) in the pot. Cook the onions for a bit, then add some minced garlic and cook a little bit longer, tossing regularly
- Add the liquid to make a broth for the chicken and orzo
To the pot, add some peeled whole tomatoes from a can (yes, use the tomato juices as well) and add 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil. - Add the orzo and chicken
When the liquid boils, add 2 cups of dry orzo and let that boil a bit. Nestle the chicken into the delicious orzo mixture. Top with those beautiful bell peppers you sautéed earlier. - Bake in 350 degrees F oven for 20 to 25 minutes
Tranfer your pot to the oven. Bake uncovered until the orzo has cooked through and has absorbed the majority of the liquid. When you take it out, cover it and let it sit for 5 minutes until the liquid is fully absrobed. - Finish and serve
For me, a drizzle more extra virgin olive oil, the good stuff, and a sprinkle of feta is the perfect way to finish this dish!
What to serve with it?
When I made this the other night, all I added as a side was my easy Greek salad to carry on the theme. But if you like, you can add a starter or two like Greek baked feta or melitzanosalata with your favorite crusty bread.
Equipment and special ingredients to make this recipe
- You will need one big oven-safe pot or Dutch oven like this one.
- I like using a wooden spoon to stir and sauté all the vegetables
- For the spices and olive oil used, browse our online shop here.
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Greek-Style Chicken Orzo Recipe
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
- Extra virgin olive oil
For Orzo
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Bell peppers any color, cored and sliced into rounds
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups canned peeled plum tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 cups dry uncooked orzo pasta, whole grain orzo if you have it
- Feta cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine spices (oregano, paprika, coriander, salt and pepper.)
- Pat the chicken dry, and season well with the spices on both sides. Place the seasoned chicken in a large tray or bowl and add lemon juice. Set aside for a few minutes.
- In a 5-quart Dutch oven like this one or a large oven-safe pot, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering.
- Add the chicken and brown on both sides (about 8 to 10 minutes). Transfer the chicken to a plate for now.
- In the same pot, add the bell pepper slices and sear on either side. Remove and place with the chicken for now.
- If needed, add another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft. Add the garlic, and cook another 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, broth, spices, and a dash of kosher salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then add the orzo pasta.
- Nestle the chicken pieces into the orzo mixture, and top with the bell pepper slices.
- Transfer the pot to the heated oven oven. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until the orzo is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove from oven, cover and let sit 5 minutes undisturbed (the orzo will absorb any juices.)
- Before serving, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with fresh parsley and feta, if you like.
Video
Notes
- For the spices and olive oil used, browse our online shop here.
- Leftovers & storage: allow any leftovers to cool completely and store in the fridge in tight-lid containers. If stored properly, leftovers orzo and chicken will keep for 3 days or so.
Nutrition
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2018 and has been updated with new media and information for readers’ benefit.
Hi There,
I’d like to try this with boneless chicken breasts. Does that change the cooking time? Breasts tend to dry out. Look forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!
Hi, Noelle! It depends on the size of the chicken breasts. If they are on the larger side, they will take longer to cook. You may want to cut them into smaller pieces and cook them to an internal temperature of 165 degrees fahrenheit. Enjoy!
If somebody ever asked me what was my favorite type of orzo, I would answer without any doubt – this one. Fantastic combo of ingredients, and just the way I like it!
That’s so sweet, Mahy! Thank you!
This is such a comforting, tasty dish! Everyone loved the orzo and the chicken was so tender!
Fabulous to hear, Jamie! Thanks so much!
First time I have cooked with orzo. It wont be the last. !
Loved the glorious soft texture and the tang of the lemon
I will make this again.
Thank you
So glad, Valerie! Thank you for sharing
We love this meal! I do have a question, when you brown the chicken, is it 8 minutes total with 4 minutes per side or 8 minutes per side?
So glad you liked it! It is 8 minutes in total as the chicken will cook some more in the oven. You’re just looking for it to have a nice color on both sides.
Made this recipe tonight and it turned out great! It was amazing…we can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow night! I’m so happy to have stumbled across your blog…I love every recipe you post! Both of my parents were born in Egypt too, but my mother is a terrible cook (she’ll be the first to admit it!!) so I never learned to make authentic dishes until reading your blog! I made your kofta kabobs for the first time last month and they were amazing!!! Better than my mother’s! I can’t wait to try so many more!
Thanks for sharing such great middle eastern recipes!!
Thanks for the kind words Denice and I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
I only had one pound of chicken thighs, but it was very easy to adjust recipe. One pound was four boneless thighs. I used one can of tomatoes, 3/4 of a 16-oz can of chicken broth (saved the rest to add when warming up the leftovers), 1 cup of orzo. Cut the other ingredients to 1/2+. Added a little cayenne pepper. Only had orange pepper for the top. I don’t think you mess up this recipe. It was a keeper!! Janice
thanks for sharing your adjustments, Janice! Very helpful. Glad you enjoyed it!
Made this according to recipe. It was a big hit, simply delicious. Paired it with Balela salad. What a great meal. will make this again.
Awesome, Bill! Thank you so much for sharing
Amazing!! So flavorful and easy to put together. I don’t have a cast iron skillet so I used a regular skillet and transferred everthing to a backing dish. I halfed the recipes, as that was all the chicken I had – turned out great. Will definitely do a full recipe next time, as the leftovers are great too!!
Making this sun it looks amazing! However I am not a huge fan of tomatoes. I only use small chopped tomato’s when they will cook down alot and are needed for the flavor. Does the orzo need the tomato juice for flavor? It says 2 cups canned so I wasn’t sure if that was just the tomatos or the juice as well for flavor. If not I may use artichokes instead of tomatoes!
Hey Heather, sorry I’m just now able to get to your question. But yes, the tomatoes and their juices are needed here to help cook the orzo and impart flavor. They won’t overwhelm at all though.
This looks amazing! Can I make it ahead and reheat?
Hi Kari, yes, you can make this ahead and reheat. Bring to room temperature if you can so you don’t have to leave it in the oven too much. I’d add a little liquid if needed. Heat in medium-heated oven.
Can I use chicken with the bone in?
Hi Sue, so bone-in chicken will take longer to cook. To use bone-in chicken, you may cook them first for a bit, then add them in with the orzo before you bake.
Your recipes are amazing. This is my third time making this one. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much, Donna! Means a lot!
I made this for dinner tonight i didn’t have thighs so i used chicken breasts instead it tasted wonderful..no leftovers unfortunately, will need to make more next time .Great recipe thanks
When there is no leftovers, you know it’s a winner! Thanks for trying it, Lisa!
I made this meal last night and it was great! I made it exactly as directed and it was just missing the Feta cheese. I can never seem to keep Feta on hand! I awoke this morning to the wonderful smell of the chicken lingering in the kitchen, and had to immediately dig into some of the cold, leftover orzo. This recipe definitely makes it into my normal rotation of meals. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Mark! If you’re willing to eat this cold, it must be a winner. Love hearing form you. Thanks.
I made this recipe last night and it was absolutely delicious! Everything is so flavorful and the directions were spot on. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is a definite keeper.
So glad you gave this one a try, Robin! And thank you for the kind comment!