This one-pot Greek-style Chicken and Orzo is such an easy recipe to whip up on a busy weeknight, especially with back-to-school fast approaching. What I did was marinate the chicken in a delicious lemon and garlic marinade, then it was cooked in a pot with orzo, zucchini, tomatoes, and lemon zest, to make the perfect vibrant dish that your whole family is going to love.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Chicken and Orzo

• Flavorful: I love the combination of garlic, lemon, and the tomatoes that get sweeter as they are cooked. This dish is bursting with flavors, and even though it’s easy, it’s super impressive to serve up to even the fanciest of guests.
• Versatile: What I love about a one-pot dish is that you can tailor it to make it your own. Add in some other veggies if you want, or use a different cut of chicken.
• Low Mess: One-pot dishes mean fewer dishes in the kitchen. This recipe will not require much to pull together, so the clean-up is quick!

🍲 Ingredients

Orzo – Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that is great in so many dishes because it cooks quickly and can absorb flavors. You’ll find it a lot in pasta salads and soups. I also love it in one-pot dishes because it cooks so well. You can find it in any pasta aisle.

Butter Beans – Butter beans are also known as lima beans and are a pantry staple. They have a delicate and mild flavor and a soft, buttery texture. They are packed with protein, fiber, and they’re very budget-friendly, so great for adding into dishes for a protein boost. They make this Chicken and Orzo dish extra hearty.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Chicken and Orzo

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Make the chicken marinade by whisking together all of the chicken marinade ingredients and then set aside.
3. Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to get 4 total pieces of chicken. Then add a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap to a cutting board, add a piece of the chicken and cover it with another piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken breasts to about ½ inch thickness.
4. Add the chicken pieces to a bowl and use ¾ of the chicken marinade to marinate the chicken. Set aside the rest of the marinade in a small bowl. You can use the rest of the marinade to drizzle over the final dish when it’s done.
5. To a large oven safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and sear for 2 minutes per side, until golden brown on each side. Set aside on a plate. If needed, do this in batches.
6. Turn the heat to medium-low and add 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil along with the halved garlic cloves. Cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is starting to soften and turn slightly golden, about 5-7 minutes.
7. Turn to medium heat and stir in the grated zucchini and salt and cook down for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until fairly wilted. Then stir in the dry orzo pasta, chicken stock paste and lemon zest, cook for 1 minute.
8. Stir in the beans and then add the hot water and stir until everything is combined. Bring to a simmer and once simmering, nestle the chicken into the orzo along with any juices from the plate back to the pan as well.
9. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 22 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is creamy and cooked to at least al dente.
10. Serve topped with the reserved chicken marinade OR a drizzle of lemon balsamic vinegar along with cherry tomato confit. If you don’t have cherry tomato confit, serve it topped with fresh halved cherry tomatoes instead.

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• Brown the Chicken First: Searing your chicken pieces in the pot with a little oil before anything else is the key to a deeply flavorful dish. This creates a delicious, caramelized crust on the chicken.
• Don’t Overcrowd: Sear the chicken in a single layer. If you have to, do it in batches to avoid steaming it.
• Finish with Freshness: Right before serving, stir in some fresh, vibrant ingredients. A handful of spinach or arugula will wilt beautifully, while a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of fresh herbs like basil or parsley pairs so well, too!

🗒 Variations

If you like this Chicken and Orzo recipe, you’re going to love my other orzo recipes:

• One-Pot Creamy Lemon Orzo with Chicken
• Greek-Style Chicken with Orzo
• Baked Feta Orzo with Tomatoes
• Tomato & Orzo Soup
• Spicy Sausage and Orzo Skillet
• Lemony Shrimp Orzo

🗒 Best served with

• Maroulosalata aka my Mamas Salad
• Greek Cabbage Salad
• Fluffy Greek Pita Bread
• Greek Salad

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Leftover Chicken and Orzo is so tasty and it’s actually a great recipe for meal prep as well. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat them within 3-4 days.

🤔 Common Questions

One-Pot Greek Style Chicken and Orzo

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This delicious Greek-style Chicken and Orzo is made in one pot and is perfect for a busy week night. It is easy-to-make but still so delicious and impressive when serving a group.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine Greek-Inspired

Servings 4

Calories 598 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the chicken marinade

• juice of half lemon
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 chicken breasts

For the orzo

• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 heads of garlic, peeled and cloves halved
• 1 large zucchini, grated
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chicken stock paste
• 1 lemon zested
• 1 cup dry orzo
• 398 ml can butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 ¾ cups hot water

For serving

• reserved marinade or lemon balsamic
• cherry tomato confit or fresh cherry tomatoes (if desired, use our cherry tomato confit)

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Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Make the chicken marinade by whisking together all of the chicken marinade ingredients and then set aside.
• Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to get 4 total pieces of chicken. Then add a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap to a cutting board, add a piece of the chicken and cover it with another piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken breasts to about ½ inch thickness.

  Add the chicken pieces to a bowl and use ¾ of the chicken marinade to marinate the chicken. Set aside the rest of the marinade in a small bowl. You can use the rest of the marinade to drizzle over the final dish when it's done.
• To a large oven safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat add 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and sear for 2 minutes per side, until golden brown on each side. Set aside on a plate. If needed, do this in batches.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and add 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil along with the halved garlic cloves. Cook with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is starting to soften and turn slightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Turn to medium heat and stir in the grated zucchini and salt and cook down for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until fairly wilted.
• Then stir in the dry orzo pasta, chicken stock paste and lemon zest, cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the beans and then add the hot water and stir until everything is combined.
• Bring to a simmer and once simmering, nestle the chicken into the orzo along with any juices from the plate back to the pan as well. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 22 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is creamy and cooked to at least al dente.
• Serve topped with the reserved chicken marinade OR a drizzle of lemon balsamic vinegar along with cherry tomato confit. If you don’t have cherry tomato confit, serve topped with fresh halved cherry tomatoes instead.

Video

Notes

• If you love this recipe try our Sundried Tomato Chicken Meatballs and Orzo

Nutrition

Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 59.1g | Protein: 43.3g | Fat: 22.7g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13.7g | Cholesterol: 99.4mg | Sodium: 505.7mg | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 3.4g

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