Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce.

One Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce. Pan-seared chicken marinated in olive oil, garlic, yogurt, lemon, Dijon, pepper, thyme, and paprika and cooked to perfection. Then, it’s simmered together with orzo, crispy bacon, and fresh broccoli for a perfect one-skillet meal! Serve drizzled with a delicious creamy feta sauce. The feta sauce is that special sauce that makes you say, “Wow—YUM.”

Lately, my family’s favorite dinners have been chicken and orzo all made in one skillet. Sometimes, I go for sun-dried tomatoes and Italian flavors; other times, I bring in bold Cajun spices, like this dish I shared from a few years ago. I tend to switch up the flavors to keep dinner exciting. I don’t usually make the same dish twice. If you love experimenting in the kitchen like I do, you’ll have fun playing around with different ingredients to make it your own.

Crispy prosciutto is a must in any orzo skillet I make. My family loves it, and it’s a great addition to almost any dish I serve.

Lately, I’ve been using so much prosciutto that I nearly forgot about bacon—until a couple of weeks ago. I recently found the yummiest, uncured, sugar-free bacon, and it’s been a game-changer!

It may sound funny, but that one ingredient has sparked a handful of new recipes!

Long story short, I loved the sound of lemon pepper-seasoned chicken with a bit of crispy, salty bacon! Sounds amazing, right?

I marinated the chicken with my favorite combination of yogurt, dijon, lemon, and pepper—plus garlic, of course. I added bacon, orzo, and broccoli. It was easy peasy, and it came out delicious!

Let’s talk details

Ingredients

• chicken thighs or breasts
• extra virgin olive oil
• plain Greek yogurt
• lemon juice
• dijon mustard
• garlic
• dried thyme
• paprika
• onion powder
• black pepper and salt
• bacon – if you don’t eat pork, omit this! Not a big deal at all, make this work best for you
• salted butter
• orzo pasta
• broccoli florets
• fresh basil and dill

Ingredients – for the feta sauce

• feta cheese
• plain Greek Yogurt
• garlic
• lemon juice
• smoked paprika and chili flakes

Steps

Step 1: marinate the chicken

The Greek yogurt marinade makes all the difference. Marinate it in olive oil and yogurt with lemon, dijon, pepper, and garlic. Then add dried thyme and paprika and season with pepper and salt.

If time allows, marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or overnight. If you’re in a time crunch, just start cooking. I’ve now made this both ways; it is honestly great either way.

Step 2: start cooking

When you’re ready, start searing the chicken in an oven-safe cast iron skillet. Once it’s seared on both sides, you can remove it from the pan.

Add the bacon and get it nice and crispy all over. Now add some butter and some orzo. Let the orzo get toasty in the butter, then mix in water.

Step 3: baking

Stir in the broccoli. You could also use kale or even spinach. Then slide the chicken into the orzo and throw the whole skillet into the oven to finish cooking.

Step 4: the feta sauce

In my eyes, the feta sauce is the secret “sauce” to this dish.

It’s whipped feta cheese with a bit of yogurt and lemon, and if you have some fresh herbs on hand, toss those in too.

The salty feta creates an addicting sauce. Every spoonful is delicious and adds the best flavor to the peppery chicken.

Step 5: serving

When you pull the dish out of the oven, the sauce should have reduced, but the broccoli will be just perfectly cooked.

Add spoonfuls of the feta sauce, then fresh dill or basil.

Add some 5 ingredient beer bread to really complete this Gerard Family staple dinner. A comfort meal at its best! And the bacon is such a nice addition!

Looking for other easy chicken dinners? Here are my favorites: 

One Skillet Louisiana Style Chicken and Rice

Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole

Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake

Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf

Spicy Sesame Chicken and Ginger Rice

Lastly, if you make this Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken and Orzo, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!