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A top-down view of a Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Bake featuring golden chicken, blistered cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, spinach, and melted feta cheese in a cast-iron skillet.

Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Bake

A vibrant, effortless one-pan dinner featuring tender, Mediterranean-seasoned chicken baked together with rich orzo pasta, sweet cherry tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives, and creamy melted feta cheese.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • * For the Chicken:
  • - 1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • - 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • - 1 tsp dried oregano
  • - 0.5 tsp dried thyme
  • - 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • - 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • - 0.25 tsp cracked black pepper
  • * For the Orzo & Mix-ins:
  • - 1 cup uncooked dry orzo pasta
  • - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • - 3 cloves garlic minced
  • - 0.5 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • - 1 cup cherry tomatoes left whole
  • - 0.5 cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
  • - 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
  • - 0.5 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • - 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley and dill chopped

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Toss the diced chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
  3. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes per side until beautifully golden but not fully cooked. Transfer chicken to a side plate.
  4. Lower skillet heat to medium. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until soft and aromatic.
  5. Stir the dry orzo pasta into the onions and garlic for 1 minute to lightly toast the grains.
  6. Pour in the chicken broth and turn off the stove heat. Stir in the fresh spinach, halved Kalamata olives, and whole cherry tomatoes.
  7. Nest any chicken pieces and accumulated juices back down into the pasta mixture.
  8. Cover the skillet tightly with heavy aluminum foil (or transfer everything into a 9x13-inch baking dish and cover).
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the orzo is tender and has absorbed the broth.
  10. Carefully remove the foil, scatter the crumbled feta cheese evenly across the top, and return to the oven uncovered for 5 minutes until the cheese is warm and soft.
  11. Remove from the oven, top with fresh lemon juice and fresh chopped herbs, and serve hot.

Notes

* If using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, skip the searing step and simply fold 2.5 cups of shredded chicken directly into the broth and orzo mixture in Step 6 before baking.
* To store, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add a tablespoon of broth when reheating to restore moisture.