Chunks of tender chicken, baby spinach, and hearty chickpeas combine with lemon and feta in this super simple One-Pan Spinach Chicken Orzo. This delicious meal is perfect for weeknights, and the leftovers make a great lunch the next day.
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A meal to feel good about
Spinach Chicken and Chickpea Orzo is a dish that’s not only loaded with flavor, but it’s packed with ingredients that are budget-friendly and on the healthier end of the spectrum. In short, this is a meal to feel good about!
The chickpeas add fiber, protein, and a heartiness that really extends the meal so you can enjoy this one for dinner, and probably get a lunch or two out of it the next day.
On top of that, it’s an all-around delicious meal, inspired by one of my favorite Greek rice dishes, spanakorizo. The combination of lemon, spinach, and feta is unbeatable!
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below, and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. Similar to my Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo, I’m using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can use chicken breasts, but they should be seared until fully cooked and only added back once the orzo has finished cooking to prevent them from drying out.
- Spinach. Fresh baby spinach is best for this orzo with spinach and chicken.
- Chickpeas. I’m using canned chickpeas that are drained. If you prefer to use dried, you’ll need to soak them overnight or cook until they’re soft enough to use in this dish.
- Stock. Homemade chicken stock is preferable, but you can also use storebought low-sodium chicken stock.
- Tahini. I love to add tahini at the end as it brings a richness to this dish but there is no issue if you would like to omit.
- Feta. It’s best to use a block of feta that you crumble yourself rather than the pre-crumbled feta.
- Parsley. I’m adding fresh parsley at the end. Fresh dill would also be great – I use this in my lemon herb orzo salad, and it’s a great combination with the feta.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make one pan spinach chicken orzo
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat a large pan or pot to medium heat and add the olive oil and chicken thighs and cook until they’re golden on both sides. Work in batches to not crowd the pan, then transfer to a plate and cover with tented foil. Once cool, slice or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pan and saute until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the red pepper flakes, spinach, and 1/3 cup of water.
- Cover the pot, and once the spinach wilts, remove the cover.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits.
- Add the orzo and mix well to coat.
- Return the chicken to the pan, add the chickpeas and stock, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and cover the pot.
- Cook until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Uncover the pot and add the lemon juice, feta, tahini, and parsley. If the orzo is dry, add a touch more chicken stock and olive oil. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Top tips
- Dry the chicken. Be sure to dry the chicken very well with paper towels to allow for it to get a good sear.
- Season at the end. Since feta cheese is added to this one pan spinach and chicken orzo, it’s best to wait until the very end before adding additional salt. Depending on which type of feta you use, it can be salty, so keep that in mind when seasoning.
- Serving. I recommend serving this dish with more tahini on the side as well as additional feta and lemon wedges so people can add, if desired.
More one-pan orzo meals
I love using orzo as an ingredient for one-pan meals because it cooks up so easily. Here are a few of my favorite recipes.
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Spinach Chicken Orzo (Chickpeas, Lemon, Feta)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 1 pound baby spinach chopped
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 pound orzo
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas drained
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
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Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken thighs and cook until golden brown on both sides. Work in batches if required to not crowd the pan. Place the chicken onto a plate and tent with foil. Once the chicken cools, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the onion to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Saute the onions until soft and translucent (about 5-7 minutes) then add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the hot red pepper flakes, spinach, and a 1/3 cup of water and cover. Once the spinach wilts (about 2 minutes), remove the lid and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the brown bits.
- Add the orzo and mix well to coat. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the chickpeas and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot and cook until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed (about 12-15 minutes).
- Uncover the pot and mix in the lemon juice, feta, tahini, and parsley. If the orzo is too dry add a touch more chicken stock and olive oil if needed. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper if required. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes 4 large or 6 moderate sized servings.
- Chicken. Chicken breasts can be substituted for chicken thighs. If using chicken breasts, sear until fully cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces, and stir into the orzo after it has finished cooking.
- Tahini. This ingredient adds a lot of body to the dish but can be easily omitted if you prefer.
- Herbs. I just used fresh parsley, but fresh dill and/or oregano can be added.
- Leftovers. Spinach chicken orzo can be saved for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this recipe and added fresh dill. It was delicious and I will definitely make it again. I might add some canned chopped artichokes or olives as I think either would be delicious.
Was so delicious…made it exactly as written and it was oerfection! This one is definitely in rotation at our household. Thank you so much!!!
Wow! Made it exactly as written. Was so delicious! I’ll gladly add this one into the main rotation at our house. Thank you so much.
So glad you enjoyed!
9/10 no notes.
I don’t understand your comment – please clarify.
This recipe was delicious!!! Thanks Jim..
Glad you enjoyed!
Looks good. Can I make this with tofu or soy curls instead of chicken. I don’t like chicken, especially the dark meat
We haven’t tested the recipe with those substitutes, but you likely could do that.
You should offer an upload picture to this comment. It was soooo good!! There were so many leftovers! My husband thinks I’m an amazing chef thanks to you. I have been trying one every week!! Your cookbook is in my Christmas Wish List..
We’re glad you enjoyed and hope you like the cookbook as well. You can always post a picture on instagram and tag us in it. We can’t allow others to upload photos to our website for a variety of reasons.
First recipe we tried from you guys and the one we couldn’t find a video for. Tasty though. It will go into the rotation for the fall and winter.
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Geoffrey! We filmed a video for this one, but it hasn’t been published yet. It’s scheduled to be published on October 29.
Came out fantastic! You make recipes easy to follow and I appreciate it.
For the two of us, I have a lot of leftovers which is always a bonus to have prepared food in the fridge.
Followed your recipe except the tahini-I didn’t have it.
Thank you for a delicious dinner
So happy you enjoyed!
I made this dish last night for a gathering of friends, and it was a hit! Everyone wanted seconds and several were caught dipping their forks in the pan well after dinner. I will definitely be making this again for more friends and family. It’s an interesting dish in that it contains ingredients that you would not immediately think would work together but they do complement each other so well, providing something very comforting and satisfying.
So happy you enjoyed!
Your recipes show 2x and 3x
Since it’s just myself and wife, will 1/2 x work too?
You can reduce the number of servings by clicking “print” and using the minus button to scale down the recipe to the number of servings you’d like to make.