Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Skillet (One Pan)

This healthy, one pan Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Skillet is as nutritious as it is delicious. I love that it’s packed with protein and nutrients from the chicken and all the fresh veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes and spinach. It’s one of those recipes that’s healthy, but also loaded with flavor and tastes like it’s from a restaurant.

The secret lies in marinating the chicken and cooking everything in one skillet – perfect for minimal cleanup! While it does take a bit more time than some of my other weeknight dinner recipes, the delicious mix of tender chicken, savory orzo, fresh veggies and zesty lemon is absolutely worth the effort. Your taste buds (and your body) will thank you!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

Minimal Cleanup: Everything cooks in just one skillet, making cleanup that much easier.

Easy to Customize: Everyone has there own taste, so if you don’t like some of the veggies I use in my recipe, feel free to leave them out. You can easily replace them with your own favorites, like broccoli, carrots, corn or squash. Or, if you’re making this for kids and have some picky eaters in the house, you could leave out the veggies altogether.

Flavor, flavor, flavor: The marinated chicken, fresh lemon juice and zest, and garlic come together to create the BEST flavor, all while using simple, healthy ingredients.

Worth the Effort: While it takes a bit more time to prepare, the end result is a restaurant-quality dish right at home! I promise it’s worth the wait to marinate your chicken.

INGREDIENT NOTES

For the Marinade:

• Chicken breast – A lean protein that becomes extra flavorful when marinated.
• Extra virgin olive oil – Adds richness and helps the marinade coat the chicken evenly. It’s my preferred choice of oil to cook with because it’s packed with antioxidants like vitamin E and polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory properties and other health benefits.
• Fresh lemon juice – Provides a bright, tangy acidity that tenderizes the chicken and enhances the Mediterranean flavors.
• Garlic – I usually use minced because I always have a jar of it in the fridge, but you can also finely chop up a few cloves too.
• Seasonings: Italian seasoning, smoked paprika and salt – This combination of classic seasonings comes together to add even more flavor to the marinade. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika instead.

For the skillet:

• Fresh vegetables – I’m packing in the veggies on this one. Zucchini, bell pepper and onion all sauté in olive oil. garlic and a little Italian seasoning. Then, at the end, we’re going to gently toss some cherry tomatoes and fresh spinach with the rest of the veggies and orzo. Every bite of this recipe feels like I’m doing my body a favor with all the nutrients it has. Not only is it light and healthy, it’s equally as delicious.
• Italian seasoning – One of my go-to seasonings that adds classic Mediterranean flavor to the dish.
• Garlic – Because almost every recipe is better with garlic. 🙂 Keep a jar of minced garlic in the fridge to keep it extra easy and convenient to use. If you don’t have minced garlic on hand, you can finely chop 2-3 cloves.
• Orzo pasta – A small, rice-shaped pasta that you can find in the regular pasta aisle at the grocery store. It absorbs the broth for a creamy, deliciously perfect texture.
• Chicken broth – The orzo cooks in the broth giving it extra flavor.
• Juice and zest from one lemon – This is was gives the orzo the most flavor. Make sure you don’t skip the zest!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by trimming the chicken, if needed. I cut each breast in half and then pound them so that they’re about the same thickness. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, and add the marinade and chicken to a large Ziploc bag. Place in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes or so while you prepare the veggies.

While the chicken marinates, thickly cut the zucchini into about ½ inch sized pieces. Slice the bell pepper and onion. Roughly chop the spinach. Grate the zest from one whole lemon. Set veggies aside.

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and discard the remaining marinade. Cook until golden brown on the outside and no longer pink inside, about 5-7 minutes. (Chicken should be 165 degrees inside, which you can check with a meat thermometer.) Remove from the skillet, set on a plate, cover and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Then, add the zucchini, bell pepper, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until veggies are just barely starting to turn soft. (They will continue to cook with the orzo on the next step.)

Add the orzo and chicken broth to the skillet and mix everything together. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium-low, stir and cover for 12-15 minutes, stirring about 2 times during the process to prevent the orzo from sticking to the pan. (Orzo is ready once tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.)

Once the orzo is fully cooked, stir in the cherry tomatoes, spinach, lemon juice and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or extra lemon juice, if needed. Turn off the heat and add the chicken back to the skillet by placing it on top of the orzo. Cover and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to warm the fresh ingredients.

Garnish with crumbled feta, chopped fresh basil or an extra squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

TIPS & NOTES

Make It Ahead: Prep the veggies and make the marinade earlier in the day, or the day before, to save time when cooking. Just store the veggies and marinade separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to use them.

Stir the Orzo: Don’t forget to stir the orzo a couple times during the cooking process. Otherwise, it could burn and start to stick to the pan but stirring it prevents that.

Lemon Balance: Adjust the lemon juice and zest to your taste. Start with the amount listed in the recipe, then add more if you prefer a stronger citrus kick.

Storage: Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.