This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
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.
This was outstanding. My husband and I really enjoyed the chicken and orzo with such a nice lemon flavor. The Feta Sauce was a great compliment to the chicken.
Hey Bonnie,
Happy Friday!!⛄️ Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a hit! xx
I loved this! I was concerned that my two kiddos wouldn’t be super excited, but was pleasantly surprised when my picky 8 year old said the “rice” was delicious. I have two portions leftover that I can’t wait to eat for lunch this week. My chicken didn’t sear with crust as much as I wanted, but it was juicy and super tasty.
Hey Kimberly,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
I typically am not a big kale fan, pairing it with the lemon, orzo, chicken, and feta sauce was delicious My husband overdid it with the lemon, and the chicken thighs we used from Whole Foods were a little more chewy than normal. Next time I will try it with chicken breast. I love a good sauce. The creamy feta sauce was amazing and complements the dish so well (I used a generous amount to help cut back on the lemon taste since my husband went crazy on lemon).
Hey Elizabeth,
Happy Sunday!!❄️ I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out and sharing your feedback! xx
I’m gluten-free and wondered if there’s a substitute that you would recommend for the orzo?
Hey Alison,
You could use a GF orzo or arborio rice would also work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
What size skillet do you usually use for your one skillet dishes?
Hey Sarah,
I typically use a 12 inch skillet:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I was a little skeptical at first because this was just not something I would normally make but I am saving this recipe for life. It was SO good. Sooo full of flavor and a little hearty which I love. We actually ended up using it for meal prep because “healthy” meals can get boring sometimes and this was the perfect breakaway from that! Cannot say enough good things- highly recommend
Hey Ninia,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
This was tasty and a nice change from my usual Asian dinner recipes (many from HBH, which has great Asian recipes!). The sauce is deliciously buttery and the orzo and chicken cooked up in the oven in less than 20 minutes. I found the chicken to be a bit tough, but that could have just been the chicken itself rather than an issue with the recipe. I made the feta sauce, which added a little zing, but it also would have been delicious without, maybe with additional lemon and herbs. Thanks for another great one!
Hey Holly,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xT
I would love to make and take to a sick friend. Suggestions for making ahead of time and reheating ?
Hey Ann,
I would probably fully make the recipe and just have them reheat on low. Let me know if you have any other questions, sending good thoughts to your friend! xT
I tried this tonight and had friends over. It was absolutely delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
Hey Sadia,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend!🎄⛄️
One of my absolute favorites! Definitely light and healthy but has SOO much flavor.
Hey Jena,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend!🎄⛄️
I actually used the Dijon and my Husband didn’t know or taste it with all of the other flavors. I cooked a little longer to get the orzo fully cooked. The flavors are amazing – make the side sauce. Wonderful dish on a cold winter day!!!
Hey Holly,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
My husband hates the taste of Dijon mustard. Any suggestion for a substitue?
Hi Holly,
I probably wouldn’t recommend this recipe:) Maybe give one of these a try:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/best-easy-greek-sheet-pan-chicken-souvlaki-and-potatoes/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/pesto-chicken-and-lemon-butter-potatoes/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/one-skillet-creamy-sun-dried-tomato-chicken-and-orzo/
I hope this helps! xT
Love this recipe, it’s in my regular rotation! I️ use whole wheat orzo and throw some halved cherry tomatoes in with the kale to make it slightly more healthy. Love it!!
Hey Emily,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
So good! Made sauce without feta and still delectable. Even better second day when all the flavors soaked in.
Hey Kristen,
Fantastic!! I love that this recipe turned out tasty for you, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
Question, anyway this could be a crockpot meal!?
Hey Stephanie,
I’ve not tested this recipe in the crockpot, but here are some other dishes you might enjoy:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/mustard-herb-chicken-and-creamy-orzo/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/slow-cooker-french-wine-and-mustard-chicken/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/slow-cooker-herbed-chicken-and-rice-pilaf/
I hope this helps! xT
This is by far one of my all time favorite recipes EVER. I have made it more times than I can count. I have served this to pretty much every friend I have and everyone has loved it ! Winner winner !!
Hey Monica,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback! xx