Mediterranean Chicken Orzo

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This Mediterranean chicken orzo recipe combines pasta, bold flavors, and juicy chicken in a simple one pot meal! Tomatoes, olives, and feta are the stars of the bright sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Mediterranean Chicken Orzo

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup little tomatoes (grape, cherry, etc.) cut into halves
1/3 cup Kalamata olives pitted and cut into halves
1 tablespoon capers drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 cup dry white wine
2.5 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked shredded/rotisserie chicken
2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Add the oil, butter, tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, garlic, and orzo to a pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add in the wine and let it bubble for about 30 seconds, then stir in the chicken broth. Let it come to a gentle boil, then continue cooking for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring fairly often ensuring the orzo doesn't cement to the pot. You will probably need to turn the heat down (to medium or even medium-low). It should simmer vs. boil like crazy, and you don't want the liquid to reduce too much before the orzo is cooked.
Stir in the chicken, spinach, and feta.
Take the pot off the heat, and cover it for 3-5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted, the cheese has melted a bit, and more of the broth has been absorbed. Season with salt & pepper if needed and serve immediately.

Notes

If the pasta is soaking up the liquid too fast (like before the orzo is cooked enough), turn the heat down and/or add another splash of chicken broth. If there's too much liquid, cover the pot for a bit longer and the orzo will soak it up quickly.
Capers, olives, and feta can all be salty, and the salt content in chicken broth can vary brand-to-brand. If you're sensitive to salt, you may want to use low sodium chicken broth. It's a good idea to taste the end result before adding extra salt to this recipe.

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