One Skillet Greek Chicken
This quick and easy Greek Chicken Skillet is all made in just one pan and full of deliciously bold flavors.
This quick and easy Greek Chicken Skillet is all made in just one pan and full of deliciously bold flavors.
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 6 to 8 boneless skin on chicken thighs*
- 3 cloves garlic pressed/minced
- 1 cup orzo pasta uncooked
- 14 oz. chicken broth
- 1 cup kalmata olives halved
- 1 tsp fresh dill weed
- 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper strips chopped
- 1/4 cup finely diced purple onion
- Carbohydrate 95.2105662525667 g
- Cholesterol 149.240000056427 mg
- Fat 24.7203266816016 g
- Fiber 15.7048940635741 g
- Protein 43.931215425663 g
- Saturated Fat 12.5021012596756 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (889g)
- Sodium 1480.18617779069 mg
- Sugar 79.5056721889925 g
- Trans Fat 2.85728722991535 g
- Calories 735 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
- Heat oil in a large, oven safe skillet over medium high heat.
- Season chicken thighs with oregano and salt and pepper on both sides and sear skin side down in skillet for 3 minutes.
- Flip and sear the other side for an additional 3 minutes.
- Transfer skillet to oven and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
- Carefully remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a plate to keep warm.
- Drain any fat from skillet and discard.
- Return the skillet to the stove top over medium heat.
- Saute the garlic until fragrant and then add in the orzo, chicken broth and olives.
- Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
- Stir in the dill weed, lemon zest, and spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts slightly.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and warm.
- Top with the feta cheese, roasted red bell peppers and purple onion.
- Enjoy!
The ingredient roster omits how this combination of poultry and pasta reflects the practical resourcefulness of Mediterranean coastal cooking, where single-vessel meals maximized limited hearth space. Orzo functions similarly to rice in pilaf traditions, absorbing surrounding liquids while releasing starch to create a cohesive sauce without dairy binders. Mastering the initial sear dictates whether the skin achieves crispness or turns rubbery before the meat finishes cooking.
- Use a heavy cast-iron or oven-safe stainless steel skillet measuring at least 12 inches across to prevent overcrowding the meat.
- Preheat the oven strictly to 425 degrees Fahrenheit so the skin renders its fat efficiently during the 10 to 15 minute roast phase.
- Drain excess rendered fat completely before toasting the garlic and raw pasta to prevent a greasy final texture.
- Simmer the orzo covered in broth for exactly 15 minutes over medium-low heat to ensure the grains absorb the liquid without scorching the bottom.
- Fold the baby spinach in at the very end so residual heat wilts the leaves just enough to maintain bright green color.
Mediterranean home cooks relied on cast iron for superior heat retention across varying flame sizes. Combining proteins and starches in one vessel reduced cleanup while concentrating aromatics effectively.
