Healthy Mediterranean Chicken Orzo is an easy and delicious dinner! Made with simple ingredients, packed with flavor and done in under 30 minutes!
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Incredibly yummy Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo Recipe
Have I mentioned lately how much I love easy one pan dinners? Especially when they’re packed with crazy amounts of flavor and come together in under 30 minutes like this Mediterranean Chicken Orzo?
Cause I do. They make life a breeze!
Sweet grape tomatoes, white wine, briny olives + salty feta all combine with orzo (the most underrated pasta) and pan seared chicken for the most epic dinner that is easy and tastes amazing!
This one pan wonder couldn’t be easier to make, and it is incredibly yummy. The combo of ingredients is just DELISH!
Why you’ll love this Mediterranean Chicken Recipe
Here’s why I love this recipe:
- Simple Ingredients – Many of these ingredients are pantry staples that you probably already have on hand!
- Packed with Flavor – This mediterranean chicken recipe is loaded with absolutely delicious Mediterranean flavors!
- Made in One Pan – This means fewer dishes at the end of dinner, which everyone loves! You may also love our one pot Chicken Orzo!
Orzo Chicken Mediterranean Ingredients
To make this dish you’ll need:
- chicken breasts
- whole wheat orzo (or regular/gluten free orzo)
- kalamata olives
- pine nuts
- grape tomatoes, spinach
- olive oil
- garlic
- feta cheese
- fresh basil, fresh parsley, pepper, dried oregano, red pepper flakes
- white wine
We love this instant-read thermometer for checking the internal temperature to make sure your meat is cooked thoroughly!
How to make Mediterranean Chicken Orzo:
Making this recipe is very easy to do, but requires a few steps.
- Brown chicken breasts in a pan. Remove from the pan and set aside. While chicken is cooking, cook orzo.
- Once you’ve removed the chicken breasts from the pan – add cherry tomatoes into pan and sauté until they start to soften.
- Stir in olives, spices + cooked orzo. Garnish with feta, plate + serve with juicy chicken!
The orzo salad on its own (without chicken) also makes an absolutely delicious pasta ‘salad’. It’s great cold or warm!
Substitutions for Chicken Orzo
This easy mediterranean chicken recipe dish is very versatile and easy to customize.
Chicken– You can use chicken breasts, chicken thighs or even chicken tenders.
To make paleo/whole30 – Omit wine and feta. Sub orzo for cauliflower rice.
To make gluten free – Sub orzo with gluten free pasta or cauliflower rice.
Tomatoes-Â Can sub fresh tomatoes with sun dried tomatoes.
Herbs – You can sub dried herbs for fresh. Use 1/2 the amount of dried spice!
Olives – If you don’t like olives you can omit them.
Capers – Capers would be a great addition to this dish!
White Wine – Wine is optional but adds a nice flavor to the recipe.
Orzo Pasta Salad – For another Orzo recipe, try this Feta Orzo Salad
Storing Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo
Storing:Â This meal will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator making it perfect for meal prep.
Freezing: I wouldn’t recommend freezing this mediterranean chicken recipe. Orzo does not freeze well.
Reheating:Â You can reheat this mediterranean chicken recipe in the microwave or on the stove. You can also enjoy the orzo salad cold.
Serving this Chicken and Orzo Recipe
This dish is a meal in itself, but if you want to add more veggies you could serve it alongside some Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Healthy Green Beans Almondine
Mediterranean Chicken Recipe FAQs
Orzo is technically pasta. It’s a short grain pasta that is similar in texture to rice.
It’s not necessary for this mediterranean chicken recipe.
This mediterranean chicken recipe is 455 calories per serving.
You will want to follow the directions on your orzo packaging.
You can substitute orzo pasta with rice or other grains.
Other delicious healthy one pan dinner recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts sliced thin + pounded
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat orzo (dry)
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1.5 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted + sliced into small pieces
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup spinach chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional if nut free)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 cup feta (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a small pan of water to a boil. Cook orzo per directions.
- While orzo is cooking, on a separate large skillet or pan heat 1 tablespoons olive oil.Â
- Optional: You can season the chicken with salt and pepper before searing.
- Add chicken to the heated pan and cook until it is golden brown, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set off to the side.
- Once the chicken has been removed from the pan. Make sure to keep oil/grease in pan. Add additional tablespoon olive oil to the pan and heat.Â
- Stir in garlic and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in cherry tomatoes and white wine. Cook over medium heat until tomatoes are soft soft + wine begins to reduce (about 5-10 minutes)
- Once tomatoes are cooked, stir in cooked orzo, kalamata olives, spinach, spices and pine nuts together in the pan. Toss until combined.
- Serve the chicken on top of the orzo, garnish with feta + enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions for this recipe
- To make paleo/whole30 – Omit wine and feta. Sub orzo for cauliflower rice.
- To make gluten free – Sub orzo with gluten free pasta or cauliflower rice.
- Can sub fresh tomatoes with sun dried tomatoes
- Can sub fresh herbs with dried. Use 1/2 the amount of dried spice!
Sue says
Used leftover chicken tenders and cut them into strips. Reduced the amount of orzo to 1 cup. Combined all the ingredients like a casserole. Delicious and easy!
Sara says
Everyone in my family LOVED this recipe! Also very easy to make!
Michael says
This is so simple to make and even easier to eat! My 5 year old even liked it! I used chicken broth instead of wine and left out the pine nuts. Of my five year old likes this you are sure to love it!
Lisa says
This dish was delicious! The only thing that would have made it better is if I remembered to buy feta cheese! Would definitely make it again!
Jackie Gasson says
Great recipe, we loved this meal so much. Thanks!
Grace says
Made this tonight for dinner and my husband and I both loved it. The mix of flavors in the Orzo is absolutely perfect. I made the dish exactly as written and included the pine nuts and crushed red pepper; I wouldn’t change a thing. This dish will be going into our regular rotation. Thanks!
Peggy says
This was delicious. I made it as written with the addition of some zucchini I had. Will definitely make again
Norma Waddell says
Loved this recipe
I skipped the red chili peppers for my husband , added capers & didn’t have pine nuts but it was quick easy & delicious! ( also used skinless boneless thighs versus breast)
Will definitely make it again
Natalie Di Mercurio says
Made this recipe last night. I tweaked it a little as I don’t keep or buy wine. I also used sun dried tomatoes because I already make a repeat recipe very similar with diced tomatoes. I cooked the orzo in the same pot after the chicken in chicken broth. Then added everything in. Was very good and will definitely make again!
Mark J says
Really enjoyed it! Only thing I would probably do next time is season my chicken breasts a little with some of the basil,oregano and salt before browning. My chicken breasts themselves were a little bland, but the mixture definitely helped with the flavor
Barbara Foster says
Absolutely love this recipe. Make it almost every week. Thank you for sharing.
F Anne says
What white wine would you recommend for this recipe?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Any white wine works. we usually do pinot grigio
Jo says
Delicious and very easy
Melody Botts says
Awesome recipe! This goes in permanent file and on regular rotation. So, so good!
Chris says
Going to make this tonight. Can I use frozen spinach?
The Clean Eating Couple says
That should work! Just ensure it is fully thawed and wilted before serving. Let me know how it turns out!
Kirsti says
So good I used GF orzo and chicken broth instead of white wine. Will do this again
Kamil says
Came out great, cheers!
Nikki Ross says
So easy to make ~ my family loves it!