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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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
That’s why I love this Healthy Mediterranean Chicken Orzo:
- 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!
Orzo Chicken Mediterranean Ingredients
To make this Mediterranean chicken orzo dish you’ll need:
- chicken breasts
- whole wheat orzo (or regular)
- kalamata olives
- pine nuts
- grape tomatoes, spinach
- olive oil
- garlic
- feta cheese
- fresh basil, fresh parsley, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes
- white wine
How to make Mediterranean Chicken Orzo:
Making mediterranean chicken orzo 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- 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 Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad.
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.
Storing Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo
Storing: 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: 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
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.
- 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.
- 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!
Sheila says
Dropping by to say thank you for sharing the recipe. We tremendously enjoyed this Chicken Orzo. It was my first time to make one and love the combination of flavors. Definitely delicious.
Molly says
I have made this at least ten times since discovering this recipe! I love the flavors, and it’s so easy to make! Sometimes for parties I’ll make the orzo salad and leave out the chicken for a side dish and people go crazy for it! Pine nuts can be expensive, but they’re worth it for this recipe! (I’m weird and love fresh tomatoes but not cooked tomatoes, so I don’t cook the tomatoes and just throw them in fresh at the end. No one’s ever noticed, and I’m allowing myself this creative license since I’m the one doing the cooking! Hah!)
The Clean Eating Couple says
Love the idea of doing the raw tomatoes!! They totally can be weird if they’re too mushy so I get that 🙂 I’ve never made this as a side without the chicken but I’m TOTALLY stealing that idea!
Rebecca says
Can you use broth instead of wine? And if yes,would the time in cooking at that stage change.
The Clean Eating Couple says
You can just skip the wine, it adds flavor. if you want to sub with chicken broth you can. Doesn’t change the cook time!
Nicole says
Delicious recipe! We skipped the pine nuts. Just curious how this has almost 6,000 mg of sodium per serving though?!?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Wow, I’m so sorry about that! It was definitely a typo! Sodium will vary depending on which types of olives/sun dried tomatoes/cheese you use, but it’s definitely not that much! I adjusted to nutrition facts and they are much more accurate 🙂 Thanks for calling it out!
Nicole says
No problem, we just ate it and my mouth dropped when I saw the sodium. Thanks for updating! Great recipe – will share with family members. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes- we have been clean eating for a couple years now and always like to find new recipes.
The Clean Eating Couple says
When I read your comment my mouth dropped too! I was like OMG that is a biiiig mistake! LOL! If you like this one you would love our Whole30 Greek Chicken Zucchini Noodles!
Leanne says
So easy to make and SO yummy! We make this all the time in our house – it’s part of the weekly rotation!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Leanne!! It’s one of our favorites too!
Missy S says
What a burst of flavors! I spiced it up with a little more black pepper and red pepper flakes but wow! Another amazing quick, delicious and healthy recipe! The kids even enjoyed eating this with us which is a plus! Delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Missy!! And that your kids enjoyed it 🙂
Camille says
Loved this!!!! Super easy and delicious. I omitted the olive oil and used a garlic butter for the chicken instead. I could’ve eaten the whole portion… But you know, trying to stay healthy. I will definitely make this again. Obsessed thanks for the recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Oooh that garlic butter sounds delicious! Glad you liked it, Camille!
Joni says
I made this last night and my husband and I both loved it! Neither of us like olives or feta cheese, so I left those out, but we loved the flavors in this dish, and I appreciated the easy-to-follow instructions! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Joni!! If you like goat or parmesan cheese that would be a good substitute for this – but it’s totally fine without cheese or olives 🙂
Hayley says
So delicious!! A recipe that is a great quick and easy dinner! The flavors all come together so well and it’s so yummy! We will definitely be making this again soon!!
Deb says
This was fabulous so full of flavour. I could not believe that my husband ate it, what a plus 😉. I can’t wait to make it again
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you both liked it, Deb! That makes me so happy to hear!
Lauren says
I’ve mad this recipe twice and it is so good, the perfect fast meal after a long day. We had it as leftovers a few days at work too and it was very good. I didn’t use the pine nuts because they’re $$$ I wonder if any other nut would work! Thanks for the recipe
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Lauren! So glad you like it. Walnuts or pecans might work, but they also might be a little weird here. we make it without the pine nuts all the time and it’s just as tasty!
Starr L says
This was so good! Highly recommend!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Starr!
Caitlin says
I love the flavor of this recipe! This was the first time I’d ever had orzo and I thought it was more of a rice consistency. I wasn’t a huge fan, so next time I would swap it for some zoodles, brown rice, or chick pea pasta making it like a pasta salad.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much!! You can easily swap out the orzo for whatever you like 🙂
Heather says
Haven’t made this yet, but it looks so delicious and my mouth is watering!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Heather! Hope you love it!
Marissa says
I made this recipe without the fresh herbs, substituted for dry herbs, and divinia green olives for kalamata olives and it was DELICIOUS. A MUST try for any Mediterranean lover!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Marissa! I’m so glad you liked it!
Morgan says
I have made this recipe multiple times, it has become one of my favorites! I always add capers, it think it adds a little more acidity. It’s super fast and easy to make too, so I tend to go to it in a pinch.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you like it, Morgan! Thank you so much!
Mary says
Hello! Thanks for the recipe. I was just wondering where I could find the original one! It had artichokes in it…
This one is good too but just not quite the same as the old one.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Mary – This recipe never had artichokes in it – maybe you’re thinking about someone else? We do have a recipe on our site that you might like!
Lauren o says
Do you think I can make this but sub the chicken for your crock pot whole chicken meat and follow the rest of this recipe to the T? I know a lot of the flav from this must be from browning the chicken so I wasn’t sure !
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yes that will work!
Lindsey says
What kind of white wine would you recommend?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Any white wine is fine. I usually cook with whatever I have leftover.. pinot grigio, sauv blanc, etc.
Beverly Bagley says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! Thank you for another great recipe!
Taylor says
This was delish!! My only comments: the tomatoes on high for 10 min would’ve burned them beyond eating on my stovetop. I am so glad I checked around 4 min because they were already charring. Also I had to add salt- which I should’ve figured since I left out olives and tried to stay reasonable with the feta. SO yum and I found a new white wine I like out of this :). Thank you for sharing!!
Cherie says
I’m going to try this tonight with shrimp instead of chicken because that’s what I need to use up. Sounds like a winner
Wanda says
Can this meal be frozen?
The Clean Eating Couple says
I wouldn’t recommend it. Pasta doesn’t freeze well!