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4.80 from 5 votes
Home | Recipe | Dinner

One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo

Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Protein 24g
Carbs 27g
Fats 28g
Your typical "chicken and rice" dinner just got a healthy, delicious, low-fuss upgrade. Introducing my One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo – a hearty and flavorful dish that is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner. It comes together with tender, juicy chicken thighs, briny olives, and orzo stewed together in rich chicken broth and a variety of spices. It's bursting with flavor in every bite, is perfect for meal prep, and is sure to be loved by the entire family!

Recipe by:

Nicole Modic

December 30, 2024
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    Your typical “chicken and rice” dinner just got a healthy, delicious, low-fuss upgrade. Introducing my One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo – a hearty and flavorful dish that is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner. It comes together with tender, juicy chicken thighs, briny olives, and orzo stewed together in rich chicken broth and a variety of spices. It’s bursting with flavor in every bite, is perfect for meal prep, and is sure to be loved by the entire family!

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    Friends, what’s your word going into 2025? For me, it’s simple: PEACE. After a rather tumultuous 2024, I am setting the intention that 2025 will be a year full of peace. This year, I went through a divorce, moved into a new house, renovated said house, created hundreds of new recipes, travelled to New York… to say that it was eventual is an understatement. While I’m beyond grateful for all of the adventures that 2024 brought, I am looking to 2025 dreaming of a much quieter year ahead.

    Which is why I am so excited to have a repertoire of simple, easy, and delicious one-pan recipes to help bring some peace to the new year. If you haven’t tried any of my one-pan recipes before, then let me let you in on a little secret… they’re the BEST. As the name implies, they come together with only one pan, which means minimal prep, minimal dishes, and one tasty home cooked meal at the end. I love making a one-pan meal (like my Marry Me Chicken Orzo or my Saucy Coconut Chicken) on the days where I’m craving a cozy and comforting meal, but don’t feel like making a complicated dish. Plus, the best part is… nobody will be able to tell just how easy it is! All of my one-pan meals, but especially my One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo, looks so beautiful once it’s done. If you’re serving it to guests, I promise that they’ll be impressed!

    This recipe also happens to be perfect for your weekly meal-prep. If you live alone or are cooking for yourself, one pan makes enough for SIX servings, which could easily be enjoyed as lunch or dinner throughout the week! Plus, the longer that this dish sits, the better it tastes. As it sits, the orzo soaks up all of the delicious chicken juices, making this dish hearty and filled with flavor. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

    A top view of ingredients arranged on a tiled surface: raw chicken thighs on a plate, olive oil, spices, chicken broth, fresh parsley, lemons, orzo, a mix of green and black olives, garlic cloves, a whole onion, and salt.
    To make this recipe, you’ll need chicken thighs, seasonings, olive oil, onion, garlic, lemon juice and zest, orzo, chicken broth, olives, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh parsley.
    A plate of seasoned chicken thighs is surrounded by ingredients: lemons, olives, garlic, spices, olive oil, parsley, rice, and feta cheese. The items are arranged on a beige tiled surface, ready for cooking.
    Pat the chicken thighs dry, then add them to a plate alongside the olive oil and seasonings. Coat them generously in the seasonings before transferring them to the pan.

    What You Need to Make This Mediterranean-Inspired Chicken Dish

    • Chicken Thighs: Tender, skin-on chicken thighs are perfect in this recipe. The chicken ends up being perfectly juicy, soaking up just the right amount of the broth and juices, while the skin gets nice and crispy.
    • Seasonings: To season the chicken, you’ll need a combination of cumin, garlic powder, oregano, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Yum!
    • Olive Oil: To cook the chicken, I like to choose a better-for-you oil such as olive oil.
    • Onion & Garlic: I always recommend using fresh onion and garlic, whenever possible. The combination of both adds the best flavor to this recipe that truly can’t be replicated!
    • Lemon: You’ll need both lemon juice and lemon zest in order to make this recipe!
    • Orzo: Orzo is a short-cut pasta that looks like a large grain of rice. It’s a delicious form of pasta to eat when you don’t want to feel super full and sluggish, and tastes reminiscent of classic chicken and rice dishes.
    • Chicken Broth: Chicken broth adds a rich and delicious flavor to this orzo. If you want to add in some extra protein, you can also opt for chicken bone broth instead.
    • Olives: This recipe calls for two types of olives: Kalamata Olives and Castelvetrano Olives. The combination of both adds the best salty, briny flavor to this dish that truly can’t be beat!
    • Garnishes: These are optional, but I love garnishing this One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo with crumbled feta cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley!
    Cook the chicken, skin-side down, undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then, flip them and cook them for another 7-8 minutes, or until they’re fully cooked through.

    How to Make This Hearty & Flavorful One-Pan Meal

    To make this recipe, start by preparing the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to a plate and use a paper towel to pat them dry. In a small bowl, combine the seasonings together: the cumin, garlic powder, oregano, smokes paprika, ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Then, rub the chicken thighs generously with olive oil and coat with the seasoning blend.

    Next, heat a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in a drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side down. Allow them to cook, undisturbed, for 10 minutes, then flip them to the other side and allow them to cook for another 7-8 minutes. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a plate.

    A skillet filled with cooked orzo and tomato sauce. A hand is pouring broth from a jug into the skillet. Surrounding the pan are bowls of uncooked orzo, olives, greens, and lemons on a tiled surface.
    Remove the chicken from the pan and add the onion, garlic, and lemon zest. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add in the orzo and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and stir until the orzo is fully covered in the broth.
    Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and add in the chopped olives. Cover the pan and allow it to cook for 15-16 minutes, or until the orzo is fully cooked through and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

    Next, dice the onion, mash the garlic, and grate the lemon zest, and add them to the pan. Allow them to cook in the olive oil and chicken juices for approximately 4-5 minutes, or until the onions have softened. Then, add the orzo to the pan, alongside the chicken broth, making sure that the orzo, onion, and garlic are fully covered. Be sure to scrape up the bottom of the pan, so that none of the onions or garlic stick to it. Add the chicken thighs back to the pan and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

    Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and add in the chopped olives. Finally, cover the pan and allow it to cook for 15-16 minutes, or until the orzo is fully cooked through and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

    Once the orzo and chicken are cooked through, remove the cover, stir everything together, and use a spoon to scrape some of the orzo over the chicken. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Then, serve and enjoy!

    If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

    ** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

    Home | Recipe | Dinner

    4.80 from 5 votes

    One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo

    • Dairy Free
    • Nut Free
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Your typical "chicken and rice" dinner just got a healthy, delicious, low-fuss upgrade. Introducing my One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo – a hearty and flavorful dish that is the perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner. It comes together with tender, juicy chicken thighs, briny olives, and orzo stewed together in rich chicken broth and a variety of spices. It's bursting with flavor in every bite, is perfect for meal prep, and is sure to be loved by the entire family!
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    Servings: 6 Servings
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    Equipment

    • Cast Iron Skillet a 10-12 inch skillet is perfect for this one-pan recipe!

    Ingredients

    For the Mediterranean Chicken Orzo:
    • 6 Chicken Thighs, skin-on
    • 2 Teaspoons Cumin
    • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 2 Teaspoons Oregano
    • 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
    • ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    • 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 1 Small Onion, diced
    • 4 Cloves Garlic, mashed
    • 1 Lemon, zested
    • 1 Cup Orzo, uncooked
    • 2 ½ Cups Chicken Broth
    • 2 Lemons, juiced – this is approximately 1/4 cup
    • ½ Cup Kalamata Olives, pitted
    • ½ Cup Castelvetrano Olives, pitted
    For Garnishing:
    • Feta Cheese, crumbled
    • Fresh Parsley, chopped

    Instructions 

    1. To make this recipe, start by preparing the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to a plate and use a paper towel to pat them dry.
    2. In a small bowl, combine the seasonings together: the cumin, garlic powder, oregano, smokes paprika, ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
    3. Then, rub the chicken thighs generously with olive oil and coat with the seasoning blend.
    4. Next, heat a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, on the stove, over medium heat, and add in a drizzle of olive oil.
    5. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side down. Allow them to cook, undisturbed, for 10 minutes, then flip them to the other side and allow them to cook for another 7-8 minutes. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a plate.
    6. Next, dice the onion, mash the garlic, and grate the lemon zest, and add them to the pan. Allow them to cook in the olive oil and chicken juices for approximately 4-5 minutes, or until the onions have softened.
    7. Then, add the orzo to the pan, alongside the chicken broth, making sure that the orzo, onion, and garlic are fully covered. Be sure to scrape up the bottom of the pan, so that none of the onions or garlic stick to it.
    8. Add the chicken thighs back to the pan and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
    9. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and add in the chopped olives.
    10. Finally, cover the pan and allow it to cook for 15-16 minutes, or until the orzo is fully cooked through and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
    11. Once the orzo and chicken are cooked through, remove the cover, stir everything together, and use a spoon to scrape some of the orzo over the chicken.
    12. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Then, serve and enjoy!

    Recipe In Action

    Nutrition Hide Nutrition
    Calories: 448kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 24gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1194mgPotassium: 445mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 782IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3mg
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    What others are saying

    1. Corie Slaker
      January 2, 2025

      I made this last night. Delicious! I didn’t see when to add in the lemon juice so I just added it in step seven and it was perfect. I love all of your recipes and I’m going to make the marsala one next. Thank you!

      Reply
      1. kalejunkie
        February 4, 2025

        I am so happy you enjoyed it, Corie! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for your kind review!

    2. Leigh Medina Hall
      January 5, 2025

      5 stars
      Absolutely loved this dish – and that’s coming from someone who is new to enjoy enjoying olives. I made this on a busy week night and it was not only bursting with flavor from the lemon and olives, but also was wonderfully easy to clean up due to the one pan factor! Got to love that. KJ recipes are always good and this was 10/10- also visually impressive! Can’t wait to make this when we have friends over soon. 🫶🫒🍋

      Reply
      1. kalejunkie
        February 4, 2025

        YAY! I am so happy you enjoyed it, Leigh! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for your kind review!

    3. Julia
      January 5, 2025

      4 stars
      Thank you for sharing this recipe

      Reply
    4. Lauren nakagawa
      January 5, 2025

      5 stars
      I’ve made this recipe a total of 3x now since it was published. my family absolutely loves it and it’s so simple to prepare ahead of time. Definitely on the weekly menu rotation in my house!

      Reply
    5. Amanda (@adawngal)
      January 5, 2025

      This recipe was so easy to make and so good! The olives added that extra flavor punch.

      Reply
    6. Guadalupe Zavala
      January 5, 2025

      5 stars
      I really enjoy her enthusiastic and honest personality. I have made her recipes and I feel happy to bring something new to the table. Thank you

      Reply
    7. Guadalupe Zavala
      January 5, 2025

      5 stars
      Thank you for create new recipes and share them with us. Thank you

      Reply
    8. Bigmoney
      January 6, 2025

      I’ve read this entire article thoroughly and it was very informative. I really liked this article and hope to see more about this from you. My affialite link: https://bigmoney.vip/?ref=3000

      Reply
    9. Chloe
      February 3, 2025

      Making this dish right now, it smells amazing! I did notice that no where in the blog or recipe card does it say when to add the lemon juice. I will be adding it with the broth as that is what makes sense. Please let me know if there was a different spot 🙂

      Reply
    10. Lu
      February 26, 2025

      Can the Mediterranean chicken orzo dish be made in advance for company and reheated when they arrive? What would be the reheating instructions to make sure it doesn’t end up dried out? Thx

      Reply
    11. Angela Cooper Lind
      March 6, 2025

      When do you add the lemon juice?

      Reply
    12. Gari
      March 10, 2025

      Making this recipe now. Smells delicious! Read the recipe over a couple of times but can’t seem to find where you add the olives. I added them as part of step 7. Adding the lemon juice seems to be missing also but my husband does not like lemon in his cooking so I added the zest but not the juice. Thanks for what I am sure will be a delicious, easy meal!

      Reply
      1. kalejunkie
        March 31, 2025

        Hi Gari, it’s listed in the recipe card!

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