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One Skillet Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce, the perfect winter dinner…quick, easy, colorful and delicious! Pan-seared dijon chicken with lemon butter, cooked together with orzo pasta for an all-in-one dinner. Go that extra step and serve drizzled with a delicious creamy feta sauce. A dinner that everyone at the table will love.
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I think the day I got my first Staub skillet was the day I created the “one skillet” dinner. Not saying I invented the one skillet dinner by any means. Just that that I invented it for myself that day. It was many, many years ago. But ever since then I’ve made countless one skillet dinners in my Staub pan. It’s a method of cooking I fall back on weekly.
Throwing everything in the same skillet just makes sense. For one, you’re saving dishes by avoiding using multiple pans. But even more importantly, you’re creating a dish that’s full of so much flavor. When you cook everything together, the flavors are able to blend, making every element of the recipe delicious.
Of course, with this recipe I created one extra step with that feta sauce. But trust me, it’s worth it!
The process – cook the chicken
Season the chicken with Dijon, garlic, shallots, a bit of rosemary and some paprika. I like to sear the skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs to give it a nice crisped base. Then I toss it in a little butter, add some lemon slices, and let everything cook up along side the chicken. The butter browns and everything smells delicious.
Next, pull the chicken and lemon out out of the skillet, then add the orzo and broth. Stir in the kale…or you could also use spinach. Then slide the chicken into the orzo and throw the whole skillet into the oven to finish cooking.
Make the feta sauce
I couldn’t share this recipe without including a sauce. You all know how it goes around here, never enough sauce. Enter my feta sauce. It’s whipped feta cheese with a bit of yogurt, 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, but it adds the best taste over this dijon chicken.
It’s a real crowd pleaser, and comes out of the oven looking pretty and smells even more delicious. I threw some fresh dill on top for color and served the chicken and orzo right out of the skillet.
Perfect for easy weeknight dinners or even entertaining. It really brightens the table on a cold winter day! Leftovers can easily be stored in an airtight container.
Looking for other easy weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites.
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken Souvlaki and Potatoes
Browned Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Cheese Ravioli
One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake
Lastly, if you make this One Skillet Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce, 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!
One Skillet Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped kale
- chopped fresh dill, for serving
Feta Sauce
- 4-6 ounces feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 2. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, Dijon mustard, 3 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, rosemary, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss well to combine.3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, 3-5 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the butter and lemon slices. Remove everything from the skillet.4. Add the orzo, 1 shallot, and 1 clove of garlic. Cook until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, kale, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Slide the chicken, lemon slices, and any juices left on the pan back into the skillet. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.5. Meanwhile, make the feta sauce. Combine the feta, yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice in a blender and blend until creamy. Stir in the paprika, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. If desired, thin with additional lemon juice.6. Serve the chicken and orzo topped with the feta sauce and dill.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
My kitchen smells AMAZING! Perfect meal with our temperatures dipping into negative windchills. I substituted the kale with frozen spinach. Not a big fan but I had it in the freezer. Next time definitely using kale according to the recipe. The feta sauce was delicious. The presentation 5 star. So happy I’m following you. You definitely have a gift. Looking forward to other recipes. Thanks !
Hi Nancy,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
What would you serve with this as a side dish?
I did roasted cauliflower with mine and it turned out great. Toss florets in olive, salt and pepper. Sheet pan in oven at 450 for about 20ish minutes until browning and tender. I do top rack so it gets those little browned crunchy pieces on top.
Hi Angela,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Hi Andrea,
I would do a side salad. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
The flavors mix so well together and it’s easy to make! I did not tip the dish with dill. The sauce brought it all together!
Hi Lu,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Hi Tieghan~
I know I am the minority here, my family always teases me about how picky I can be with cheeses. I don’t like feta cheese (as in Fear Factor food, i just can’t! LOL). What would you recommend as a substitute? Garlic & Herb Boursin maybe? i love ALL your recipes, you are a culinary genius and I tell everyone about your site. HBH RULES!
Goat cheese would make a great sub. Boursin would work too but might be overpowered by yogurt and lemon.
Hey Megan,
Goat cheese or ricotta would also work really well here. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I bought the Cava yogurt dill dressing/sauce/marinade from Whole Foods and used that instead! I love feta, but needed something to make it a bit easier for me to prep! No feta in the sauce so might be a good sub for you too!! It’s delicioussssss
Probably a dumb question, but do you cook the orzo as part of the prep for this? Or it calls for it uncooked.
Hi Casey,
It calls for uncooked, so you will follow the recipe as directed and the orzo will cook in the dish. Please let me know if you give it a try, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I bought the Cava yogurt dill dressing/sauce/marinade from Whole Foods and used that instead! I love feta, but needed something to make it a bit easier for me to prep! No feta in the sauce so might be a good sub for you too!! It’s delicioussssss
Thanks so much for sharing Nicole!!
This was a big hit. Do you think it would work to use another 1/2 cup more orzo and 1 cup more broth?
Hey Keith,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! If your skillet is large enough, yes! xxTieghan
Hello! Planning to make this tonight. Will crumbled feta cheese work for the feta sauce?
Hi Annie,
For the feta sauce you will definitely want to use block feta to get the creamy texture. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I am not great in the kitchen but this recipe was easy to make and tasted delicious. I’m enjoying leftovers right now for lunch and it’s just as good the next day heated up.
Hey Susan,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Hi. A couple of questions. Can I make the sauce in advance and put it in the refrigerator? I assume I should then bring it to room temperature before I serve it. Also, can I use skinless chicken breasts or thighs? Not a big fan of chicken skin but I don’t want to ruin the dish. Thank you so much
Hey there,
Yes, totally fine to make the feta sauce in advance and keep in the fridge. Yes, skinless chicken is great too! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this using boneless chicken thighs and they worked great! It’s the most delicious thing I’ve made in a long time and I just made the pasta, tomato baked feta dish last weekend which makes me swoon every time!
I’m a lemon lover, and got to use 2 of my own Meyer lemons in this dish. You can eat the slices, rind and all, because baking makes them tender. The feta sauce is what put this recipe over the top. Excellent pairing with the chicken, orzo and kale + shallots, garlic, chicken stock and smoked paprika. A++
Hi Connie,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was so good! I was out of chicken so I substituted shrimp. It was so yummy and I plan on making it again with chicken sometime soon. ?
Hi Leah,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was so easy and so delicious. I made my sauce thinner and it tasted incredible. I think this would be great for feeding guests or making and reheating throughout the week. I am so grateful to eat food that nourishes me and is delicious.
Hi Haley,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
HOLY MOLY! This was soooooo fricken delicious! Added a little water to the feta sauce because I was worried it would be too acidic if I added too much lemon juice and it was perfect without taking away from the flavor. Will definitely make this again.
Hey Luciana,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Tieghan!! You are a brilliant flavor queen! This is such an incredible combination of heavy and bright flavors. One of my favorites you have done EVER! Adding this to my regular rotation. I just added a tiny amount of cream to the sauce since I was having trouble getting it to smooth out. But dang girl….bravo.
Hi Sarah,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe was perfect. Provided me with a great new way to think about cooking orzo…..first toasting and then cooking in a pan. It was simple to execute and yet truly special and delish. I tried 5 of HBH recipes over the long snowy 3 day weekend in NC and it was great! Can’t wait to try more! I would post a photo of my pan, but not sure how (yikes, I’m not very I.T. savvy!)
Hi Christine,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan