This Greek Chicken Orzo Skillet is a delicious one-pot meal that will please everyone in the family. The bone-in chicken thighs are cooked with orzo, a tasty rice shaped pasta, and combined with olives, tomato, garlic, feta and herbs to give it a classic Greek flavor.
The savory Greek dish is budget-friendly and makes a great weeknight dinner option as it comes together quickly and easily. Great for meal-planning too!
How to Make Greek-Style Chicken Thighs with Orzo
Let's make this Greek Orzo Chicken. Follow along here or jump down to the printable recipe card.
The recipe makes 6-8 servings.
Prep: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 30-35 mins
Equipment: large skillet (12 to 15 inch) with cover, spatula, tongs
Ingredients
Here is everything you will need to make this Greek chicken orzo dinner.
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth, reduced sodium
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 pound dry orzo pasta
- 1 cup sliced kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil (optional)
Preparing Greek Chicken Orzo
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Add olive oil to coat bottom of large skillet over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, brown chicken in the skillet. Sear for, about 6-7 minutes, then flip each thigh and cook the until both sides are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a plate and set aside.
Drain off excess grease and reduce to medium heat. Add the garlic and lightly sauté.
Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and scrap the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom.
Add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves, orzo, and kalamata olives. Stir well to combine.
Arrange the partially cooked chicken thighs in skillet, nestling them in the sauce.
When the sauce starts to boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is tender.
Pluck out the bay, and top the dish with the feta cheese (and basil or chopped fresh parsley if you like) to serve.
Serving
After adding the feta and fresh herbs, grab a lemon wedge and top the finished dish with freshly squeezed lemon juice too, for a burst of bright acidic flavor.
While the dish is a complete meal in itself, starting off with a Greek salad with Greek Vinaigrette Dressing or a cup of soup is nice. Pita bread with hummus or marinated labneh would also be a good option.
Recipe Variations
There are many ways you can adjust this chicken with orzo recipe to suit your preferences or ingredients you have on hand. Here are a few suggestions.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used in place of the more budget-friendly cut used here. Keep in mind they cook faster.
- Add more vegetables! Red peppers go well in the dish. Slices of sweet red bell pepper should be added along with the garlic. Another option that works well is to mix in fresh baby spinach in the final few minutes of cooking. It will wilt, but maintain it's vibrant color and nutrition.
- Use Italian seasoning if you don't have dried or fresh oregano on hand.
- Spice the meal up a little with a couple pinches of crushed red pepper flakes along with the other herbs and seasonings.
- Add some lemon zest to bright the Greek orzo up a bit.
- For those who need a gluten-free option, use rice rather than orzo.
Storing
Leftovers of the orzo and chicken can be sealed in an airtight container promptly after cooling off and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. [source USDA]. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you are looking for more recipe featuring orzo, check out my Pumpkin Orzo, Creamy Mushroom Orzo or another one pot meal, Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Orzo.
Greek Chicken Orzo Skillet
Equipment
- large skillet (12 to 15 inch)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 ½ cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 pound orzo (rice shaped pasta) dry
- 1 cup sliced kalamata olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Add olive oil to coat bottom of large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, place the chicken into the skillet sear for, about 6-7 minutes. Flip each chicken piece and cook the until both sides are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a plate and set aside.
- Drain off excess grease and reduce to medium heat. Add the garlic and lightly sauté.
- Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and scrap the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom.
- Add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves, uncooked orzo, and kalamata olives. Stir well to combine.
- Arrange the partially cooked chicken thighs in skillet, nestling them in the sauce.
- When the sauce starts to boil, reduce to low heat and cover. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the pasta is tender.
- Pluck out the bay, and top the dish with the feta cheese and chopped fresh basil to serve.
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