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One Skillet Garlic Butter Chicken and Zucchini Orzo. Pan-seared honey Dijon chicken with garlic herb butter, cooked together with orzo pasta, fresh summer zucchini, and mozzarella, for an all-in-one dinner. Then go that extra step and serve this drizzled with delicious golden brown butter made with Italian seasoning. A dinner that everyone at the table will love.
I really do love this time of year. I forget just how nice it can be with all the fresh produce and longer days. It’s such a welcomed change from the short days of fall and winter. I’m soaking up every minute because before we know it, fall will be here.
The only thing I do wish we had is a real garden full of fresh herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, and maybe even some peppers too. Living where we live, it takes a little too much tender loving care for us to have real growth. So we stuck to just herbs this year, which I do, of course, love.
Still, I’m missing the real produce of summer! Of course, we do have Whole Foods to keep me stocked. They’ve had the prettiest zucchini and yellow summer squash this season. I picked up more than I really know what to do with, so this is me using it up!
Some of the inspiration for this recipe came from an older meatball recipe of mine. This time, I went with this simple skillet chicken and orzo.
It’s going to be a staple through September. The garlic butter really makes this special!
Here are the steps
Step 1: season and cook the chicken
Toss the chicken breasts or chicken thighs with olive oil, Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, and honey. The Italian seasoning is the secret. It really adds so much flavor without having to add additional ingredients.
Now get a big oven-safe skillet. Sear the chicken on either side until it’s lightly golden. Then, remove everything from the large skillet.
Step 2: the orzo
When the chicken is out of the skillet, add the butter and orzo. Then add the garlic and fresh herbs. I like to cook the orzo in the butter until it’s lightly toasted.
Pour in some wine and water.
Step 3: finish the dish
Next, add the chicken right back to the skillet. Then take some mozzarella and arrange it around the chicken.
Alrighty – and now you bake. This will take about 10-15 minutes in the oven.
Step 4: the garlic butter (optional – uses one more skillet, but worth it!)
While the chicken cooks, add butter to a skillet with additional Italian seasoning and thyme. If you want, add some extra garlic here too.
Let the butter sauté and get to a light golden color.
Serve the orzo and chicken with garlic butter and I love topping with fresh basil. YUM.
This simple skillet dinner is such a crowd-pleaser. It comes out of the oven looking pretty but smelling and tasting even more delicious. I’m pretty sure you all will love this summer meal!
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
One Skillet Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce
Lastly, if you make this Skillet Garlic Butter Chicken and Zucchini 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!
Skillet Garlic Butter Chicken and Zucchini Orzo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 695 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400° F.2. In a bowl, mix the chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 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. Remove everything from the skillet.4. To the skillet, add 2 tablespoons butter, the orzo, shallots, garlic, and 2 tablespoons thyme. Mix in the zucchini slices. Cook until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and 2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Slide the chicken and any juices left on the plate back into the skillet. Arrange the cheese around the chicken. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.5. Meanwhile, lightly brown 4 tablespoons butter in a small skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. 6. Serve the chicken and orzo topped with garlic butter and fresh herbs.
This post was originally published on July 17, 2023
I’ve made this so many times and just love the flavors. It’s easy to cut the recipe in half and it makes a delicious meal. Truth be told I haven’t done the brown butter step which I’m sure would be amazing, but I love it even without that. The chicken marinade is everything!
Hi Virginia! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! I am so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xT
Delicious flavors, but the chicken to orzo ratio is way off. I have 6 cups of orzo and Zuuchini leftovers, but no more chicken. Next time, I will only make 1 cup of orzo.
Hey Katherine! I’m so sorry the ratio didn’t work out for you, but still so glad to hear you loved the recipe! xT
Will this recipe work with chickpea orzo? Any suggestions for adjusting the cooking time?
Hey Sandra! I haven’t ever tried this with chickpea orzo, so I can’t say for sure! So sorry about that! I hope you loveee the recipe! xT
The recipe came out liquidy and orzo chewy. Would not recommend to others.
Hey there! I am so sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe! Thank you so much for the input, let me know if there’s anything else I can do to improve this recipe! 🙂 xT
Delicious!! Used chicken thighs instead of breasts. So juicy and moist Quick, easy one pan (easy to clean)! Winning! I loved the brown butter sauce at the end Thank you for another family favorite..
Thank you SO much Karen! I’m so glad you’re loving the recipe! The brown butter really adds a nice touch at the end, I’m glad you agree! 🙂 xT
Love this recipe… this is actually the 3rd time I’ve made it and everyone loves it. I don’t measure much on the side of herbs and such…I know the flavor level my family is looking for so measure with love. I would suggest reviewing your step by step instructing. I.e., you don’t define the chicken breast size (I cut mine into smaller cutlets). Step 6 says to use the made garlic butter but step 5 doesn’t say anything about garlic butter. This made the recipe confusing. Otherwise, I will make this again and again. Yum!
Hey Stella,
Yay!! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your comment! xx
I’m not sure what I did wrong but the chicken needed about 15 more minutes of cooking time. Which made the orzo overcooked and everything turned into an oily blob. We didn’t love the flavor either, but that’s personal preference.
Hi Trish,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Your chicken pieces could have been on the larger side which caused them to need more time. Again, so sorry! xx
Amazing!!! Whoever says it doesn’t have flavor is crazy. I did add 1 tbsp better than bouillon because of that review though lol! Also didn’t feel directions were too clear about cooking the chicken. Like was I not supposed to cook it all the way first? Either way I did and even after baking it was perfect and juicy!
Thanks so much, Jessica:) I’m so glad to hear this dish turned out nicely and appreciate you making it! The chicken will not be fully cooked through in step 3, you will finish cooking the chicken in step 4. I hope this helps! XxT
Was looking for a new way to use zucchini. Delicious and I will definitely make again. I doubted if the herbed butter would be “worth it” but it adds so much flavor! When I make again I will increase the amount of chicken (used boneless thighs) and omit the fresh mozzarella, which didn’t add flavor or texture to the dish in my opinion.
Thanks so much for your comment, Kelly! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try! Xx
Made this as per recipe “used 2.5 cups chicken stock inplace of water. What great dish, the best orzo I had in some time. Total keeper, easy prep.
Hey Paul,
Thank you so much for making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was a winner! Happy Sunday! xT
This turned out pretty good! Very flavorful, I didn’t use as much thyme as called for, as personal preference.
I wondered how the orzo would do in the oven, & it turned out perfect. I used a Dutch oven. Will be making this again, perhaps with chicken stock. Thanks!
Hey Margo,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a bunch for giving it a try!
Found this recipe to be really bland. The orzo didn’t come out well-some of it was too soft and some too hard. Won’t be making this again.
Hi Karen,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
Any suggestions for subbing in place of the wine?
Hi Sarah,
You can use broth in place of the wine. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Was delicious! Cut the recipe in half to try it. Will definitely make again! Thank you!
Hey Debbie,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xx
Loved this recipe, so yummy! Any suggestions on how to make this into a freezer meal to prep ahead of time?
Hey Jasmine,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear that it turned out well for you! I would just freeze after making and then you can heat from frozen in the oven. Xx
Hi Tieghan – This recipe made it to my “company’s coming” menu for this coming Friday night! Can I substitute bocconcini cheese for the fresh mozzarella? (I have some leftover bocconcini I need to use up.) Thank you!
Hi Joanne,
Totally, that should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xT
This was delicious and perfect Sunday night meal! Do not skip the seasoned butter at the end – it made this so rich. I made a few alterations:
-Subbed thyme for rosemary since I had it fresh
-Added an extra 1/2 cup of water to cook the pasta
-Turned on broiler for 2 minutes at the end to brown the mozzarella.
Thanks so much, Robin! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it! xT
So yummy! Picked up some fresh zucchini and squash at the local farm stand so was excited to try this! After an afternoon on the boat, it was a welcome dish. Because I am not in my traditional kitchen, I had to make some adjustments but it still was so good! Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Nikki,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear that it turned out well for you! Xx