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One-Pan Greek Chicken Orzo Bake

A Mediterranean-inspired dinner of tender chicken, lemon-herb orzo, kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes topped with melted mozzarella and feta — all baked in one pan.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1.5 cups dry orzo pasta
  • 2.5 cups chicken broth low-sodium recommended
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small red onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed preferred, roughly chopped
  • 0.25 cup kalamata olives sliced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano divided
  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.5 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven
  • Oven
  • aluminum foil

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and half the oregano. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes until golden on the outside. Remove and set aside — the chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
  3. In the same pan, sauté the diced red onion and minced garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add the dry orzo to the pan and stir for 1 minute over medium heat to lightly toast it.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, remaining oregano, and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  6. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling the pieces into the orzo mixture. If transferring to a 9x13 baking dish, do so now. Cover tightly with foil.
  7. Bake covered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Check at 20 minutes — if liquid is running low but orzo still has a bite, add a splash of broth, re-cover, and continue.
  8. Remove the foil. Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, then crumble the feta over everything. Return to the oven uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.
  9. Let the pan rest for 3 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm directly from the pan.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Orzo thickens as it sits — add a splash of broth when reheating. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each. Substitutions: Swap chicken breasts for boneless thighs, adding 5 minutes to covered bake time. Use shrimp instead of chicken by adding during the last 8 to 10 minutes of uncovered baking. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt before adding cheese for a creamier version. Add fresh spinach to the orzo mixture before covering for extra greens.