Description
High-Protein Chicken Orzo is a one-pan Mediterranean-inspired dinner with lean chicken breast, tender orzo, and fresh vegetables. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s balanced, flavorful, and perfect for meal prep or family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Toss chicken with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add dry orzo to the same skillet and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until orzo is al dente, about 8–10 minutes.
- Return chicken to the skillet, add spinach and tomatoes, and stir until spinach wilts.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the dish and top with feta and parsley before serving.
Notes
Toast the orzo before adding broth for deeper flavor. Use pre-cooked chicken to cut cooking time in half. For gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo or small pasta.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 620
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 75
Keywords: high protein chicken orzo, healthy chicken pasta, one-pan chicken dinner