Chicken Orzo

This simple chicken with orzo recipe is packed with vibrant, zesty flavors of the Mediterranean. While nearly every pasta dish is considered "family-friendly," this particular one could easily claim the prize for "easy".

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken Orzo

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 336kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

3/4 cup dry, orzo pasta
1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions and let cool. (Make sure to stir the pasta while cooling so it doesn’t stick together.)
3/4 cup dry, orzo pasta
Meanwhile in a large skillet coated with cooking spray or oil, cook chicken over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until no longer pink and cooked through Remove chicken from pan and let cool. (You can also grill the chicken and cube it after.)
1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
In a large bowl, combine cucumber, onion, parsley and chicken (once chicken has cooled a bit).
1 medium cucumber, chopped, 1 small red onion, chopped, 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Stir cooled pasta into chicken mixture. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.
2 tbsps. fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. table salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

Notes

Chicken breasts vs. chicken thighs: You can absolutely chicken thighs if you prefer them. In a pinch, you can also use already prepared chicken, such as rotisserie.

Serving temperature: I enjoy eating this orzo and chicken immediately after its made at room temperature or as leftovers after it has been in the refrigerator.

Herbs: Feel free to switch out the parsley for cilantro, basil or mint or do a mixture. There are no rules for what to use.

Additions: Make sure to read the post for more suggestions on what to add to the final dish for even more flavor and texture.

For optimal outcomes when preparing this recipe for chicken and orzo, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition