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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
Happy Easter! I made this last night and it was a hit. The only modifications were to use baby spinach instead of kale and added a jar or marinated artichoke hearts. Loved having a one pan dinner. The orzo as perfectly cooked. Definitely will make again, and I may keep trying new additions, such as capers, Kalamata olives, and/or sun-dried tomatoes.
Hey Elizabeth,
Happy Monday!!🌞 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
This meal was such a hit with my son and husband a few weeks back, I am making it a second time tonight! I made a few tweaks because I am dairy free, subbing in vegan butter, and adding some olive oil for sautéing veggies and searing the chicken. I actually used bone in, skin on thighs and added a few extra minutes in the oven to cook through thoroughly. Sadly, I had to skip the feta cream due to dairy allergy, but honestly its a delicious meal regardless. This will definitely be in the regular dinner rotation for sure.
Hey Amy,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) 🐣🍭
I’m so glad I found this website. I feel like I’m home. This recipe was FANTASTIC! I can’t wait to try a few others I already have my eye on. I made some adjustments since I didn’t have every single ingredient, and fortunately, it still turned out excellent. Great details to this recipe. Appreciate you!
Hey Tanya,
Happy Wednesday!!🌈 🐇 I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback and trying it out! Thanks so much for your kind message! xT
Should the chicken be sliced prior to cooking or use the whole breast?
Hi Vicky,
I kept my chicken breasts whole, unless yours are very large I might cut them in half. I hope this helps! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
This was so good and easy. I used Spinach vs Kale
Hi Bill,
Fantastic!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
I wish I could give this 10 stars this is so damn delicious! Second time making it tonight and I don’t know if I just got it down better or if was because I was out of rosemary and used thyme instead (yet I’m obsessed with rosemary). I have no words. So yummy! I’m waiting for my husband and daughter to get home to eat their portion. I’m slowly eating this orzo straight out of the pan, AFTER I already ate my plate and had like 3 helpings of the orzo. It might be gone by the time they get home lol. I have littles who barely eat anything so it leaves with lots of left over orzo to stuff my face with. I didn’t have any yogurt to make the sauce but I made it the first time and it’s so yummy but I wasn’t mad that I didn’t have it this time. I sprinkled some Parmesan instead and super good!
Hey Kylee,
Happy Friday!!☀️🐰 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was delish! xT
Can I use farro?
Hi Jacqueline,
Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Loved this dish, I felt like 2 tbsp of chopped rosemary was a little too much. Maybe I chopped it too small, next time would probably season with half that!
Hey Dina,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
Hi Tieghan; I love your recipes, this one is excellent. What kind of side dishes would you serve it with? I am making it for company this weekend.
Hey Dana,
Thanks so much! I would just to a big salad and a side of bread! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Could you substitute another cheese instead of feta?
Hi Danielle,
Sure, goat cheese would also be delicious here! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
If I use spinach, should I add it in later so it doesn’t overcook?
Hi Nancy,
Yes, that would be a great idea! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Do you cook the orzo before? Or does it cook in the skillet? A little confused.
Hey Rachel,
The orzo is going to fully cook in the skillet:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Should I adjust cooking time if I don’t have an oven-safe skillet?
Hi Brooke,
Are you just planning to finish this on the stove top? I would use the cook time as a guide, but of course continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through:) xx
I made this last night, it was delicious! My husband isn’t a kale fan so I used baby spinach, it worked really well too. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Hi Tracey,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed:) xT
What do you think about substituting chopped up asparagus for the kale?
Hey Gretchen,
Sure, sounds like a great idea! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
We used chopped up asparagus instead of kale and Arborio rice instead of orzo and it was perfect! I think it’s really good without the feta sauce too.
Hey Ashley,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear that it was a hit! xx