Chef notes
I love how packed with flavor this recipe is. Fresh herbs are always a game-changer in the kitchen; they are the No. 1 thing I recommend people add more of to day-to-day cooking. You can also bring in any other favorite spices in addition to the garlic powder to amp up the flavor even more.
Technique tip: Cooking the orzo in the same pan as the chicken and veggies brings in lots of extra flavor while preventing additional cleanup.
Swap option: Remove feta or swap for plant-based feta to make this recipe totally dairy-free. Any neutral oil can be used for cooking.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- olive oil, for cooking
- 1/2 cup red onion, sliced into half-moons
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 cups uncooked orzo
- 3½ cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly torn
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Preparation
1.Season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2.In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add the chicken breasts, skin-side down, and sear until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
3.In the same skillet, add a bit more olive oil if needed; turn the heat to low. Sauté the red onion and garlic until softened. Then add cherry tomatoes and olives to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the orzo to the pan, cover with chicken broth and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
4.Slice cooked chicken breasts into strips and add them back to the skillet with the orzo once cooked. Stir in fresh parsley and crumbled feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5.To serve, crumble over additional feta or toss with additional fresh herbs.
