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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.
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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 683 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
- 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.
This post was originally published on January 12, 2022
This is a family favorite. Even my picky eater loves it.
Hi Melissa,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious, but just needed a bit of a flavor tweak! It was too much lemon for mine and my husband’s taste, but that could’ve been my fault. I loved the twang of the dijon mustard, lemon, and saltiness from the chicken broth. I added some extra water and lemon juice to the feta dressing and the consistency turned out great! My only complaint was that there was wayyyy too much feta dressing for the dish. I used about 5oz of feta and I feel like I could’ve halved the dressing recipe!
Hey Kayla,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback!! xx
Thank you! I just made this for a family dinner after a really tough day. I served it with a kale salad and warm crusty bread. It was a delicious, big bowl of comfort!
Hi Heidi,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a go:) xTieghan
I had this for dinner at a friend’s house and it was delicious!! I’m not a huge fan of chicken thighs, and I still really liked it. That being said, I want to make it myself and think I would prefer to use chicken breast. How do you suggest subbing thighs for chicken breast?
Hi Emily,
The recipe calls for chicken breasts or thighs, so you can follow it as is:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I served this for a small dinner party and it was a huge hit! Definitely easy enough to be part of the weekday dinner rotation, and perfect for serving guests as well. Even my husband who usually “hates” feta cheese loved the feta sauce. We will be making this again and again!
Hi Catie,
Awesome!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xx
Another fab recipe from Half Baked Harvest!!!
Hi Joy,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:) xT
My boyfriend and I made this tonight. I don’t know how I feel about it. The feta sauce was way too thick; we had to add extra yogurt and herbs to make the flavours pop. The dish itself wasn’t bad, but we were expecting more. I would add more than just a pinch of salt and pepper.
Hey Ally,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xTieghan
Hi, could you switch the orzo for brown rice?
I just saw someone else asked the same thing. Question, should I cook the brown rice in the broth as well? (like the orzo).
Yes, you might need to use more broth though, I would just keep an eye on it!
Hi there,
You could, the brown rice is just going to take longer to cook. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
So I made this recipe when my in-laws were in town with hopes of impressing them- and it did! SO GOOD. There is a gluten intolerance in the family so I swapped the orzo for rice and had a preference for spinach of kale and it was fabulous. Even with our substitutes I followed the recipe and instructions to a T and it did not disappoint. Super easy and so flavorful. This is definitely going to become a staple in my recipe rotation.
Hey Becca,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xT
Can you substitute rice for Orzo?
Hi Amy,
Yes, that will work, it is just going to take longer to cook. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was DELICIOUS!!! It actually needs 3 lemons and make sure you use fresh rosemary. I will definitely make this one again ❤️
Hey there,
Fantastic!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
WOW!!! Company meal! The flavors are off the hook!!!??????
Hey Karin,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit. Have the best week:) xx
Should the orzo be cooked first???
Hi Sarah,
Nope, the orzo will cook in the dish. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Great recipe, will make again! We used everything except swapped spinach in for kale, which we don’t care for. Used dried rosemary rather than fresh. Also did not put dill on top at end, possibly I might try adding a small amount in feta sauce next time. We used a mix of regular and whole wheat orzo, adding a little extra texture. Baked in 400 oven more like 20 minutes. I cut the recipe to 4 servings (thank you for that feature!), so it made enough for 2 people for 2 dinners.
Hey Deborah,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit. Have the best week:) xx
Hi! Can I substitute quinoa for the orzo or do you think it would get too mushy?
Hey Danielle,
I have never tried this with quinoa, but you could certainly give it a shot! Let me know if you try the recipe, I hope you love it! xTieghan