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Say hello to your new favorite dinner — Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo!

Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo


 

I know I’ve shared a lot of orzo skillet recipes on the blog before, but that’s just because they’re so easy and so delicious. And this one is no exception. It features deliciously spiced chicken served over a brightly flavored orzo that gets its creaminess from crumbled feta. The combination of warm spices, fresh herbs, and tangy feta cheese works so well together. Aside from the flavor, I also love how this is all made in one pot, which makes for super easy clean-up.

ingredients:

  • Kosher Salt
  • Turmeric
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Shallot
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Dry White Wine
  • Orzo
  • Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
  • Lemon Zest
  • Lemon Juice
  • Fresh Oregano
  • Fresh Parsley
  • Crumbled Feta Cheese
  • Lemon Wedges

step-by-step:

step one: preheat the oven

Preheat oven to 375℉.

step two: make the spice blend

In a small bowl, combine the salt, turmeric, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

step three: season and sear the chicken

Pat the chicken dry, then season both sides generously with the spice mix. Heat the oil in a large, deep oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Working in batches as needed, add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to a separate plate and set aside.

step four: add the aromatics and wine

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallots, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the Dijon and wine, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Cook until the mixture has reduced by half.

step five: add the orzo and cook

Add the orzo, chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, oregano, parsley, and 1/2 cup feta crumbles. Stir to combine, then nestle the chicken (and any juices) into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until orzo is almost cooked through.

step six: top with more feta

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and top with the remaining 1/4 cup feta crumbles. Transfer back into the oven and continue to bake until the orzo is cooked through and the feta has softened, about 5 more minutes.

step seven: serve and enjoy

Remove from the oven and garnish with more oregano. Serve with lemon wedges.

Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo

recipe faqs:

what type of wine do you recommend?

Any sort of dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay will work well!

could i make this with another type of protein?

Absolutely! Although I haven’t tested it with anything other than chicken, my readers love to make it with salmon!!

I hope you all love this Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo!

want more cozy chicken recipes? try these!

One-Pan Roasted Chicken Ratatouille

Spinach, Artichoke, and Chicken Orzo Skillet

One-Pan Roasted Chicken with Lemony White Beans

Creamy Ricotta Chicken and Orzo Skillet

Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo
4.96 from 113 votes

Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients 

For the Spice Blend:

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Chicken:

  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Orzo:

  • 1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup orzo
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
  • lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375℉.
  • In a small bowl, combine the salt, turmeric, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
  • Pat the chicken dry, then season both sides generously with the spice mix. Heat the oil in a large, deep oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat. Working in batches as needed, add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to a separate plate and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallots, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the Dijon and wine, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Cook until the mixture has reduced by half.
  • Add the orzo, chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, oregano, parsley, and 1/2 cup feta crumbles. Stir to combine, then nestle the chicken (and any juices) into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until orzo is almost cooked through.
  • Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and top with the remaining 1/4 cup feta crumbles. Transfer back into the oven and continue to bake until the orzo is cooked through and the feta has softened, about 5 more minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and garnish with more oregano. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 187mg, Sodium: 1404mg, Potassium: 736mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 641IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 203mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Alex Snodgrass
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4
Calories: 540
Like this? Leave a comment below!Jump to Comments →

Photography by Eat Love Eats.

Welcome! I’m Alex.

I’m a food lover sharing healthy, simple, delicious, recipes from my kitchen to yours. Here you’ll find lots of Whole30, lots of healthy, and a little indulgence here and there because…it’s all about balance y’all!

Get to know Alex

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4.96 from 113 votes (42 ratings without comment)

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161 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    I made this on the weekend, and it was so easy and so delicious! I subbed goat cheese for the feta since that is what I had, and it was perfect. This will definitely be on regular rotation!

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Made this recently and it was fantastic and great for leftovers! I always do half the normal amount of lemon it calls for because I don’t like things too lemony. Husband approved too!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    LOVE this recipe! If I were to make this for a large group, how would you size up the recipe? Could you cook everything in the cast iron and then move to a large baking dish and finish it in oven that way? Thanks for supplying my family with tasty meals!

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Another amazing DefinedDish! I made this for a weeknight meal, and we all loved it. The lemon flavor is deliciously intense, and it pairs so well with feta. I didn’t have fresh herbs so I subbed dried. Leftovers were also fabulous.

    Reply

  9. I made this with pearled cous cous since I did not have orzo and it was delicious trying with Arborio rice tonight we shall see for a gluten free option.

    Reply

    2. 5 stars
      This recipe is amazing! I have made it 3-4xs, but I used TJ’s cous cous tonight since that’s what I had. I want to note for others, that it seemed like there was too much liquid with the couscous. If I did it again, I will cut back the chicken broth a 1/2-1 cup. This is not a criticism of the recipe- just a not about my adaptation.

      Reply