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Greek Chicken Orzo Casserole Recipe

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4.3 from 87 reviews

This Greek Chicken Casserole is a hearty, flavorful one-dish meal featuring tender shredded chicken, orzo pasta, fresh vegetables, and classic Mediterranean ingredients like feta cheese, kalamata olives, and sundried tomatoes. Baked to perfection with a lemony touch and aromatic oregano, it lends itself to an easy and satisfying dinner for the whole family.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cups orzo, uncooked
  • 1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded (about 4 cups, roughly 3 chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, packed, diced
  • 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled, plus more to serve
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested
  • 5 cups chicken broth, or water
  • Fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
  2. Cook Chicken (if needed): If you don’t have pre-cooked chicken, bake chicken breasts or thighs in the oven for 25 minutes. Once cooked through, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
  3. Sauté Onion: Place diced onion in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Bake the onions in the oven for 5 minutes to soften and release their sweetness.
  4. Combine Ingredients: Remove the baking dish from the oven and add uncooked orzo, minced garlic, diced sundried tomatoes, chopped spinach, kalamata olives (optional), dried oregano, additional olive oil, and salt. Stir everything well to combine.
  5. Add Protein and Cheese: Incorporate the shredded chicken, crumbled feta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest into the mixture, stirring again until evenly distributed.
  6. Add Liquid: Pour in the chicken broth (or water) and stir to ensure the orzo, vegetables, and chicken are mostly submerged in the liquid for even cooking.
  7. Cover and Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes to allow the orzo to start absorbing the liquid.
  8. Uncover and Finish Baking: Remove foil, stir the casserole to redistribute ingredients, then return it uncovered to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes until the orzo is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
  9. Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Serve warm, sprinkled with extra feta cheese and fresh parsley for garnish. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • If using water instead of chicken broth, adding extra seasoning might enhance flavor.
  • Kalamata olives are optional, but they add authentic Greek flavor.
  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best citrus flavor.
  • To make this dish quicker, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

Find it online: https://recipethrive.com/greek-chicken-orzo-casserole-recipe/