Greek Chicken Orzo Pasta Bake with Lemon (One Pan)
Mallory
This creamy GreekChicken Orzo Pasta Bake is such an easy dinner recipe for busy weeknights - combine everything in a casserole dish and bake! If you love classic Greek flavors like feta cheese, fresh lemon juice, and kalamata olives, this is a great recipe to make!
½cupfeta cheese + 2 tablespoon feta cheese (added at the end), crumbled4 oz
1.5cuporzo pasta
2.5cupchicken broth
¼cupGreek yogurt
¼cupfresh parsley
3tablespoonlemon juiceone large lemon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to400℉ (200°C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by spraying cooking spray on the bottom of the pan. Dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel and use a sharp knife to cut it into cubes. Add the chicken to the large baking dish and coat it in the olive oil, dijon mustard, and seasonings. Be sure all the chicken pieces are coated.
Prep the vegetables by chopping the bell pepper and zucchini and mince the garlic. No need to chop the cherry tomatoes or olives.Add the tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, kalamata olives, garlic, and half a cup of the feta cheese to the dish with the chicken.
Whisk the Greek yogurt and chicken broth together. Add the orzo and chicken broth mixture on top of the chicken and vegetables. Then stir everything together with a wooden spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the orzo is tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ (75°C). Cooking time time will vary. Stir in the remaining feta cheese, lemon juice, and parsley when it comes out of the oven and give it a quick taste. Add more salt as needed then let it set for 10-15 minutes before serving. *The sauce will be very liquidy when it first comes out of the oven. Let it set so the sauce thickens in the finished dish.
Hint: If you want to add a bit more flavor and have time, sear the chicken in a large skillet with the olive oil and seasonings on medium heat to medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until its golden brown. Then add to the baking dish with the other ingredients.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
Make sure the chicken cubes are at least partially submerged in the broth so they don't dry out.
I suggest getting a block of feta and crumble it yourself. Give it a rinse and dry it before crumbling to get rid of some of the brine it's packed in.
Give it a taste at the end and add more salt if needed.
Storage
Refrigerator - once the pasta has cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on low heat on the stovetop. You may need to add a bit more liquid when reheating to get it back to the right consistency.
Dietitian TipMost pastas with creamy sauce use heavy cream. I like to replace it with Greek yogurt which is lower in saturated fats and provides protein and calcium. You still get a super creamy end result because the starch from the pasta releases while being cooked in the chicken broth. And as a bonus, you get extra nutrients with the Greek yogurt!
For more nutrition information and tips, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊