One-Pan Spanakopita-Inspired Skillet

This One-Pan Spanakopita-Inspired Skillet brings the flavors of the traditional Greek dish into a simplified weeknight dinner.

If you haven’t had spanakopita, it’s a traditional Greek dish filled with spinach, dill, feta, and lemon and wrapped in a crispy phyllo dough crust. Here, we’ve used the dish as major inspiration for the flavors here! 

Aside from the flavor, the best thing about this dish is it’s all made in one pan. The chicken is cooked off first, then the vegetables, then the rice is added and it is all finished right on the stove. At the very end, we add a bit of ricotta for creaminess, salty feta, and lots of fresh herbs to make it all extra bright.

I hope you enjoy this One-Pan Spanakopita-Inspired Skillet!

One-Pan Spanakopita Skillet

Serves: 4 People

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4.88 from 8 votes

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken thighs cut into 1” cubes
• 1 ½ tsp Kosher salt divided
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil divided
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 10 oz baby spinach roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon zest about two lemons
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about two lemons
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus more as needed
• ½ cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 cup fresh dill roughly chopped, plus more for serving
• 1 cup fresh parsley roughly chopped, plus more for serving
• 4 oz feta crumbled, plus more for serving

For Serving:

• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

• In a large skillet (12-inches) with tall sides, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of the salt, dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is fully cooked through - about 7 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside.
• To the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the yellow onion. Stir, scraping up the seasoning bits leftover from the chicken, and sauté until the onions are soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add in the spinach, lemon zest and lemon juice, deglazing the plan. Stir, and cover. Cook the spinach for 3-4 minutes until it has wilted. Remove the lid, add the pepper flakes, and stir to combine. The spinach should be cooked down and reduced in volume.
• To the spinach mixture, add in the uncooked rice, the cooked chicken and its juices, chicken broth, and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook until the rice is tender and fully cooked, about 22-25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, stir to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan* then re-cover (see note).
• Once the rice is fully cooked, add in the ricotta and stir to fully distribute. Next, add the herbs and gently toss to combine, then finally add the feta and gently toss again.
• Serve with toasted pine nuts, extra feta, and a lemon wedge. Enjoy!

Notes

For the Rice: If your rice sticks to the bottom of the pan, add a little more broth during the cooking process and stir. 

Food Photography and Styling by Modern Food Stories.