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One Skillet Chicken Tzatziki and Orzo, the perfect weeknight dinner. Quick, easy, colorful, and delicious! Pan-seared lemon paprika chicken, cooked together with orzo pasta for an all-in-one dinner. Serve drizzled with Tzatziki sauce and fresh, buttery naan. A dinner that everyone at the table will love.
For a dinner that is so simple to throw together, this really has so much flavor! I think we all know by now that a skillet chicken and orzo dinner is a staple around here. Most of the time I’ll just use lemon and herbs, the classic recipe really. But then I’ll come up with a new variation that I swear I love even more than the last!
This was probably Creighton’s favorite dish of the week. It hits all the flavors he really loves most. Smoky paprika, a little bit of spice, lots of garlic, lemon, and then we can’t forget to mention the Tzatziki sauce.
Creighton has declared that Tzatziki might be his favorite sauce of all time. I have to agree, it’s pretty delicious. It also happens to be the easiest to make, we all love it.
Throwing everything into 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 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 by adding the Tzatziki sauce, but you can totally use a store-bought sauce too. Do what works for you!
Details
As mentioned above, this was one of my family’s favorites. Mainly because I used spices that we all enjoy, paprika mixed with garlic and lemon. The chicken definitely has a Mediterranean vibe to it.
Season the chicken first. I toss a mix of chicken thighs and breasts with tomato paste, and paprika (I use smoked paprika, but regular is great too). Then add lots of chopped garlic, lemon zest, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Oh, and a good amount of olive oil too.
Now sear the chicken in an oven-safe skillet, then pull it out of the skillet to make room for the orzo. Just set the chicken aside on a plate to hang out.
Add the butter, orzo, and thyme to the same skillet. I love to let the orzo toast in the butter. Add in a good amount of sun-dried tomatoes, then pour in the chicken broth.
Now add the chicken back to the skillet. I usually like to add a handful of fresh herbs here too. Basil and thyme are what we love.
Put the entire skillet in the oven, and let it all cook together for 10-15 minutes, just until the chicken is fully cooked.
While the chicken is baking, I always make a homemade tzatziki sauce. It’s plain Greek yogurt mixed with grated cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon, fresh dill, salt, and pepper.
Occasionally I’ll make it spicy with a jalapeño. Sometimes I’ll mix in feta cheese too. Both are delicious additions!
When the skillet comes out of the oven. Scoop it up with the orzo and serve topped with a very generous amount of tzatziki sauce. Add some basil and dill too!
I usually serve this with warm naan, pitas, or tortillas – all three are great for scooping everything up!
Such a fun and bright dinner for any night of the week. And I love that the leftovers are perfect for enjoying the next day for lunch!
Looking for other easy dinners? Here are some favorites:
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken
Sheet Pan Chicken Gyros with Feta Tzatziki
One Skillet Street Corn Chicken Enchilada Bake
Lastly, if you make this One Skillet Chicken Tzatziki 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!
One Skillet Tzatziki Chicken and Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 519 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 pinch chili flakes use to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breast
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup mixed herbs, such as basil and thyme
- 1-2 cups Tzakiki sauce
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a bowl, toss together the chicken, 2 tablespoons olive oil, tomato paste, paprika, garlic, lemon zest, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. 3. Add the chicken to a large oven-safe skillet set over high heat. Sear on both sides until golden, 3-5 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the butter, then remove the chicken from the skillet. Add the orzo and thyme. Cook until toasted, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, broth, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh herbs. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. 4. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.5. Serve the chicken and orzo topped with Tzakiki sauce and basil. Enjoy!
This is one of my favorite HBH recipes I’ve made. I don’t like sun dried tomatoes so omitted them, and it was still so so flavorful. Don’t leave out the Tzakiki sauce, it adds so much to the dish. Can’t wait to make it again, will definitely be a staple in my home going forward.
Hi Brooke,
Happy Wednesday!🌤️🌸 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
Have you ever tried subbing lentils for the orzo? Wondering if I could do so to add more protein?
Hi Shannon,
So sorry, I have never tested that with this recipe! Let me know if you give it a try:) Have a great week! xT
I tried it and it was amazing. Same ratios. Had to cover the cast iron skillet in the oven to allow the lentils to soak up some extra broth for about 5-8 min extra time. Thanks for a great recipe. The flavors were great.
Hey Shannon,
Happy Wednesday!🌤️🌸 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
This was soooo freaking delicious. My husband and I absolutely devoured it for dinner! Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow. A perfect meal!
Hi Tara,
Happy Memorial Day!!🇺🇸🎆 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
Great recipe! I had some kale on hand and threw it in with the orzo. It was awesome! Great way to get a veggie in 🙂
Love to hear this Kristin! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback! xT
Wonderful zesty flavors! I used cauliflower rice instead of orzo. Made the chicken with bones/skin on a sheet pan by itself in oven 400deg for 40min, made the rice in a skillet on the stove. Turned out excellent. Homemade tzatziki using the ingreds you listed was superb — even my cuke-hating husband was willing to try it and labeled it “pleasant.”
Hey Julie,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad it was a hit! Happy Memorial Day weekend!🇺🇸
Loved this recipe and it was easy to make and so delicious. Only thing was it took me about 40 minutes to prep which was totally worth the wait.
Hey Tracy,
Happy Friday!!😎 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your review! xT
FLAVOR TOWN! Everything was perfect. The chicken was tender and juicy, orzo perfectly cooked and the flavors were just amazing. This is going to go into me repeat file!
Hi Amanda,
Happy Friday!!😎 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your review! xT
Made it just as described, except: don’t like cucumbers, so made cucumber-less tzatziki. Fantastic. (I agree with some others that the tzatziki brings a lot to the dish: not only a contrast to the acid, but I’d also say a cold to the hot.)
I don’t think the naan added anything, since the orzo was already wheat. Still, nice to have something to dip and scoop with (I did eat all the naan).
Only disappointment was that I scaled the recipe back from 6 servings to 4. I would love to have more leftovers!! 🙂
I like less-spicy dishes than HBH often has, and this one was just perfect — smoked paprika was smooth/mellow/smoky not really ‘spicy’.
Thanks for this recipe. (I made it because I had a half cup of sun-dried tomatoes leftover from making “Marry Me Chicken” — maybe because we’ve been together 49 years, we liked this Chicken/Orzo recipe much better! 🙂
Hey John,
Happy Thursday! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it:) Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xT
This looks really delicious and want to try it. I have celiac. What changes could I make to use rice instead of orzo?
I want to know this too! We prefer rice here 🙂
Arborio rice is going to be your best option, otherwise you are going to have to make adjustments for the rice that I haven’t tested:) xx
I sometimes use orzo made from cassava flour. Here’s a solid brand:
https://jovialfoods.com/100-organic-grain-free-cassava-orzo/
This is the perfect substitute and I’ve used it in several other dishes from this website in place of wheat orzo. No changes to the recipe are necessary.
Hi Danielle,
You could use a gluten free orzo or arborio rice would be a great option to keep the recipe the same! I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Soooooooo good! I loved the flavors! I didn’t have time to make the Tzatziki sauce, but it was good without it. I will make it next time. Definitely one I will make on repeat!
You should definitely make the tzatziki sauce next time. I couldn’t imagine this dish without it. The fat in the yogurt really helps balance the acidity of the rest of the ingredients. Also I don’t think there is an herb on earth that smells as good as fresh dill.
Hi Jessimine,
Fantastic!! 🍇🍌 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your comment! xx
Really delicious. I think I would not use the oil packed sun dried tomatoes next time; it was a little too oily for me and I think it would have come out just as great without it.
Ive made this mistake before too. You need to drain the oil from the tomatoes before putting them in the dish. I put a spoonful of the tomatoes in a handheld mesh strainer and rinse them under hot water from the sink. Takes less than a minute and will drastically improve the dish.
Hi Lonee,
Happy Tuesday! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish and thanks for sharing your feedback and making it! xT
Can you explain why you don’t have us simmer the orzo in the broth for 3-5 minutes like you do in previous ones like in One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo?
Hi Jordan,
I didn’t find that it was necessary for this dish, the other recipe is older and that’s just what worked well for me at that time:) Please let me know if you give this a try! xT
I’ve made this twice already – yum!!! The first time, I used a cast iron skillet and it looked just like your picture – a nice bed of orzo with chicken thighs nestled in it. The second time, I used a Dutch oven and it turned out more like a creamy risotto. Go figure! Either way, both times it was delicious!!
Hey Laura,
Love to hear that you have been enjoying this dish, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week! xT
Excellent flavors!! While I loved the Tzatziki sauce, it was not needed. The chicken was moist and the orzo well cooked. I will definitely keep both recipes bc the Tzatziki sauce was so good as well and much better than store bought.
Hi Sheila,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Really delicious! Added spinach to orzo. Forgot to serve the tzatziki!!!! But it was good as is.
Thanks so much Gabriele!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear the dish was a hit! xT