One-Pan Greek Chicken Casserole (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
2 cups orzo, uncooked
02 -
1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded (about 4 cups, roughly 3 chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs)
03 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
04 -
1 red onion, diced
05 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
06 -
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, packed, diced
07 -
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
08 -
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled, plus more to serve
09 -
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
10 -
1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 -
1 teaspoon salt
12 -
1 lemon, juiced and zested
13 -
5 cups chicken broth, or water
14 -
Fresh parsley, to serve
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 -
If you don't have cooked chicken, bake the chicken breasts or chicken thighs in the oven for 25 minutes. Once cooked, place the chicken on a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
03 -
In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, add the diced onion, drizzle with olive oil, and stir until well coated. Transfer the baking dish to the oven for 5 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
04 -
Remove the baking dish from the oven, add the orzo, minced garlic, diced sundried tomatoes, chopped spinach, kalamata olives (optional), oregano, olive oil, and salt, and stir to combine.
05 -
Add the chicken, feta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the casserole dish, and stir again to combine with the other ingredients.
06 -
Pour in the broth and give it a final stir until everything is well incorporated and the orzo, veggies, and chicken are mostly submerged in the liquid.
07 -
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, then transfer it to the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
08 -
Remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the foil, give everything a good stir, and then return it to the oven, uncovered, for a final 15-20 minutes until the orzo is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
09 -
Once cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving with a sprinkle of feta and parsley. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
# Notes:
01 -
To Use Onion Powder: Swap the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
02 -
To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic for 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
03 -
To Use Fresh Oregano: Swap the dried oregano for 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano.
04 -
To Use Frozen Spinach: Thaw 1/4 cup of frozen spinach, press out as much water as possible, and add it to the recipe as per step #4 to warm it and remove any excess water.
05 -
To Make it in a Slow Cooker: Prepare the ingredients as per steps #2 to #5 in a slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours, until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender. Once cooked, finish as per step #8.