One-pot Greek chicken and lemon orzo
45 min · 49 g protein · 543 cals / serving
Lemon-garlic chicken, zucchini and red pepper baked in one pan with orzo (risoni) that soaks up the oregano-scented stock, blistered cherry tomatoes on top and spinach wilted through at the end. Crumbled feta, dill and a last squeeze of lemon finish it. Forty minutes, one pan, and it is just as good cold from a lunchbox.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless, in 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
- 2 tsp lemon zest, zest of 1 lemon, divided
- 3 tbsp lemon juice, divided
- 1 tbsp dried oregano, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, in 1 cm (1/2-inch) cubes
- 1 large red bell pepper, in 1 cm (1/2-inch) pieces
- 1 cup orzo, uncooked (risoni)
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, or parsley
Steps
- Heat the oven to 355°F (320°F fan, 350°F). Toss the chicken with half the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, half the oregano, half the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet or shallow casserole over high heat. Brown the chicken 3 minutes, turning, until golden but not cooked through, and lift it onto a plate.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, add the onion, zucchini, red pepper and the rest of the garlic, and cook 3 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the orzo, the rest of the oregano, zest and salt, and the stock, scraping up the browned bits. When it simmers, scatter the cherry tomatoes over the top and press the chicken pieces halfway down into the orzo, so they braise rather than roast. Bake uncovered 15 minutes, until the orzo is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is 165°F inside; give it 2–3 minutes more if the orzo still has a chalky centre.
- Stir the spinach through so it wilts in the heat of the pan, then drizzle with the rest of the lemon juice.
- Scatter with the feta and dill. Packed into containers it keeps 3 days in the fridge. By the next day the orzo has taken up the last of the liquid and tightened, so loosen each portion with a spoonful of water before microwaving, or eat it cold as a salad. It does not freeze well (the orzo turns soft).
Good to know
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, boneless thighs are the RecipeTin original: juicier, richer and more forgiving if the pan stays in the oven a few minutes too long, at about 62 instead of 67.
No ovenproof pan?
Cook it on the stove instead: once the chicken and tomatoes are on top, cover and simmer on low for 12–14 minutes, stirring once halfway so the orzo does not stick.
Per
- Calories
- 89
- Protein
- (38%)
- 8 g
- Fat
- (24%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (39%)
- 9 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 264 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 2172 kcal goes into the pot and 2692 g of ingredients comes out as about 2440 g of food: 89 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.