This is a great quick recipe that’s got everything you need for a complete dinner, all cooked in one pot. Plenty of vegetables, with risoni/orzo and chicken. Tastes like risotto – loaded with tasty lemon-garlic Greek flavours!
One-pot Greek chicken risoni
Patience has never been my greatest virtue, so I shared many personal favourite recipes back in the early days when I first started this website in 2014. Every now and then, I like to revisit these older recipes and bring them to the forefront with sparkling new photos (that are in focus, wow!) and recipe videos where the chicken doesn’t have a weird green-ish/yellow tinge.
I have no embarrassment about my photos and videos from the early days because it reminds me how far I’ve come. But I do think it’s nice to spruce up these old recipes for your viewing pleasure – and hopefully convince you to try them. Like today’s new-old recipe: Greek chicken risoni! Complete dinner made in one pot, nice and quick to make, loaded with tasty Greek flavours.
What you need
Here’s what you need to make this Greek risoni recipe.
1. The risoni / orzo
Risoni is actually a pasta that is shaped like long grains of rice. Also known as “orzo”, find it in the pasta aisle. It costs around the same as spaghetti etc.
Risoni / orzo – See notes above the photo.
Chicken stock / broth and canned tomato – These are the liquids used to cook the risoni. Better than water because the risoni absorbs the flavour as it cooks!
Tomato paste – This adds a little boost of tomato flavour to the sauce, as well as thickening the sauce slightly so you end up with that really lovely oozy texture in the finished dish. Not the end of the world if you don’t have it.
Vegetables – I use zucchini / courgette and capsicum / bell pepper. Feel free to substitute with other sauté-able vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, fennel, corn, celery, frozen veg mix).
Also, if someone could arrange for the global standardisation of food words, that would be super helpful. Thanks! 😂
Onion and garlic – Flavour base aromatics.
Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes – I like to scatter across the surface before popping the dish in the oven. Love the juicy pops of tomato that burst in your mouth!
2. Lemon garlic chicken
A brief marinade of the chicken with classic Greek flavours makes the chicken that much tastier! Here’s what you need:
3. Garnishes (semi-optional)
I say it’s “semi-optional” because while you can skip the fresh oregano, the feta is highly, highly recommended!
How to make one-pot Greek chicken risoni
This recipe starts on the stove and is finished in the oven. I like this technique because it’s safer/easier – no need to stir – and the surface gets caramelised which means extra flavour. Anyone who’s made the fan-favourite One Pot Greek Chicken with Lemon Rice will know this method works well!
Marinade chicken in the lemon, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Just 20 minutes adds decent flavour into the chicken flesh.
If you’re pressed for time, you can skip the marinade, there’s plenty of flavour in the overall dish and the chicken will absorb flavour as it braises with the risoni. If you want to get ahead, you can marinade the chicken overnight – or even freeze the chicken in the marinade. So many options! 🙂
Brown chicken – Use a large ovenproof skillet / frying pan, or large pot. The one I’m using is a 30cm / 12″ non-stick frying pan.
Cook the chicken, just to seal the outside and lightly brown it. It will only take about 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t cook the chicken all the way through as it will finish cooking with the risoni.
Sauté aromatics and vegetables – Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the pan. Then sauté the garlic and onion, followed by the zucchini and capsicum.
Add everything else – Add the risoni and stir to coat in the tasty flavours. Then add everything else – canned tomato, tomato paste, chicken stock, salt and pepper – and stir to combine.
Top with chicken and cherry tomatoes but don’t stir them in.
Oven 15 minutes – As soon as the liquid starts to bubble, transfer the pan to the oven (no lid) and cook for 15 minutes or until the risoni is tender.
Garnish and serve – Remove the pan from the oven. There should still be small pools of liquid on the surface. This is what we want – the dish should be oozy and saucy, not dry and stodgy!
Drizzle the dish with lemon juice, crumble over the not-optional-feta then sprinkle with the optional-fresh-oregano. Then serve!
LOOK how juicy and irresistibly oozy it looks. It’s calling your name!
Spoon into bowls, and marvel how it looks just like your favourite risotto. Except, well, you know. You haven’t been slaving over a hot stove for 40 minutes, ladling in stock and stirring, stirring, stirring.
Leftovers, should there be any, will keep for 3 days but won’t be as oozy as pictured because the pasta will absorb the liquid. A little splash of water before you microwave goes a long way to salvage it, as does a fresh sprinkle of feta and spritz of lemon juice (I find lemon juice flavour fades with time).
Hope these sparkling new photos and in-focus-video convinces you to make this!! – Nagi x
PS The Ingredients list in the recipe below looks deceptively long. But actually, there are quite a few double ups because of the way I write the recipe. So don’t be put off! 😉
Watch how to make it
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One Pot Chicken Risoni
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g chicken thighs , boneless skinless (or breast), cut into 2 cm / 1" pieces
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Orzo/Risoni
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small onion , finely chopped
- 2 zucchini (medium, or 1 large) , cut into 1cm / 1/3" cubes (Note 1)
- 1 red bell pepper/capsicum , cut into 1cm / 1/3" cubes (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock , low sodium
- 14 oz / 400g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups orzo/risoni (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 Australian punnet)
- 1 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Garnish (semi-optional)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice , drizzling at end
- 1/2 cup (100g) Greek feta cheese , crumbled (not optional)
- Fresh oregano leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Marinade chicken – Combine Marinated Chicken ingredients in a bowl and set aside for marinate for 20 minutes. (Skip if in hurry, can also do overnight)
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
- Brown chicken (raw inside) – Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a a large oven proof skillet or pot over high heat (Note 3). Cook chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside. Remove from skillet.
- Sauté vegetables – Add 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic and onion. Saute for 1 minute, then add zucchini and bell peppers/capsicum. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add everything else – Add risoni, oregano, chicken broth, tomato, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
- Scatter chicken and cherry tomatoes across the surface (don't stir in).
- Bake 15 minutes – Once the liquid comes to a simmer, transfer to the oven (no lid) and bake for 15 minutes (or until risoni is just cooked, tender but still firm). There may be liquid on the surface still – that's good!
- Drizzle with lemon – Remove from oven, drizzle with lemon juice. Garnish with feta and fresh oregano leaves, if desired, then serve.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2016. Spruced up with brand new photos and recipe video in February 2021 with minor recipe improvements (mainly process and writing). But most importantly, Life of Dozer section has been added!
More risoni / orzo recipes
I do love risoni! So quick to cook, tastes like risotto.
Life of Dozer
NO, he’s not being adorable, cuddling up to me. He’s trying to get to my toast on the other side.
Nagi, I don’t know what happened?!! I went to look at this recipe, did what I always do first, click on the Dozer button, then reviewed the recipe and there’s no heart/save button anywhere that I can find? On my screen it’s usually above the top of page button so I hit it after viewing Dozer…? Thoughts?
And thank you!!
Hi Kari! There might’ve just been a loading issue if the internet drops out, I had a look and it’s working ok. Thank you for reporting the problem though! N x
It’s at the to if the recipe just under the title if you’re saving to Pinterest.
I don’t know what bit me, but I need to add some form of mint to every recipe I see: dried, fresh, pesto, chutney, whatever. This lovely recipe calls out — to me, anyway — for a fresh mint pesto with lots of EVOO spooned over the top before serving.
I confess that I’m addicted to the OTK Shelf Love philosophy of “use what you have” and, happily, I have what they use as well as use their techniques.
That’s where I got hooked on fresh pesto as an active ingredient instead of just a basil add-in to flavor Italian recipes. I’ve practically abandoned basil and turned to mint.
MMMMMM yes! Fresh pesto goes great with EVERYTHING! N x
Can risoni be substituted with rice for those that need gluten free?
Hi Grace! I haven’t specifically tried but based on similar recipes I am confident it will work using the steps I described to Gail above 🙂 N x
can this be cooked in instant pot/slow cooker instead of oven. If so, for how long?
Nagi, this was delicious. I had to transfer to an oven proof dish to bake. What pan is it cooked in? It’s also in your Spanish Seafood Stew video I have looked for an oven proof one that sizes for ages.
Hi Ana – you have a good eye! 🙂 Yes it is the same pan, here it is, it is the one I use when I need a large deep non-stick pan:
https://www.catch.com.au/product/pyrolux-30cm-ignite-non-stick-chef-pan-w-lid-804787/?offer_id=31751130&ref=gmc&gclid=Cj0KCQiArsefBhCbARIsAP98hXRhbIgRET1AAZiIJqg7BYcAQgEPNWBXz2eY7KcNG4jOBcPJ_tzmdQYaApkUEALw_wcB
Hi Nagi. This recipe is one I’m keen to try as it looks so delicious and perfect for a weekday lunch. But I take issue with you referring to spring onions as shallots. Shallots are a variety of the onion family and definitely not the variety in your recipe which in South Australia we call spring onions. I’m English Australian and while it behoves me to submit to US terms, I reckon they’re correct when referring to spring onions/shallots as scallions (which is an old word) and fresh coriander as cilantro, which clearly distinguishes it from its spicy alter-ego.
Hi Sue! I’m guessing this is a general comment about my recipes because there is no shallots in this! I know there’s a load of confusion about the term. I tend to call them green onions to reduce confusion! Thanks for the reminder to provide a page definition for this ingredient, I know soooo many people find it confusing – including ME! In the old days I am sure I used to call is “shallots” which is what it is sold as here in Sydney!! N xx
What are you on about? There’s not even any shallots/spring onions in this recipe.
Sue – GET OVER YOURSELF 🙄🙄🙄
Nagi – We love you 🥰
Sue – with all due respect, especially since Australia is home to both of us – often the most common name is the easiest to recognize – before writing this I actually Googled all our main supermarket chains and all accept Nagi’s version tho’ explaining the differences. Same as with cilantro – as an Aussie cook I could never call coriander that! We all understand what is meant . . . why not let it be . . .
What is/are the cooking adjustment(s) for whole wheat orzo?
Yippee – have told all and sundry I have loved you to bits for a decade – well, looking at the dates – I have!!! Love the ease and taste of the recipe – it probably says so in a past comment! Shall remember to make it again . . . and again . . .and again . . hugs . . .hope the storm yesterday caused no damage . . .
Cannot find ‘me’ but did see Victoria Challancin – remember? She now owns and runs ‘Riad al Talah’, an absolutely fantastic inn in Marrakesh – go and visit!!!!
Nagi I absolutely love your recipes. However, I found this one way too tomato-ee. I used Aylmer crushed tomatoes as your recipe suggested but when I looked at your video…the tomatoes looked more ‘diced’ or ‘stewed.’..did I use the wrong type?
Hi Nagi!!
Can I skip the orzo step and just serve with rice? P.s I’ve made so many of your recipes and i think you’re so talent!
Hi Cristina, the liquid ratio and cook time would be different sorry – I’d need to test this. N x
Hi Nagi (or anyone else who has cooked this!). Question – do you cover it while in the oven?
No need to cover here Richelle! N x
Very easy to make, easily feeds 4-5. A great family meal.
Hey Nagi – for the one pot chicken rasoni when you say 2.5 ‘cups’ of chicken broth what is that in the UK please , also what does 1 ‘cup’ of orzo equate to in the UK – usually there as an imperial / metric conversion but not on all of your recipes
A UK cup is 250ml, I find if you use 625ml chicken stock to 250ml orzo it comes out fine
Looking to give this a go, it looks amazing but would love to try rice so we can eat the left overs the next day. Am I right in assuming the rice would reheat better than the orzo? If so would I need to change any of the cool times or ingredient measures?
It was absolutely delicious as is every recipe of yours I try! You’re my go to website now when I need a new idea…
Always guaranteed to be so yummy!
Thank you!
Hi Nagi!
I’m thinking of cooking this for the family. So far I still have the other ingredients in stock. If I don’t have Risoni right now, what can be a substitute for this? Is there another kind of pasta I can use?
after baking, what’s the texture of the zucchini? Is it crunchy or does it soften up?
I want to try this recipe. Question for you – what if instead of a can of crushed tomatoes I used a jar of tomato/pasta sauce? Do you believe that would be a good substitute?
Hi Matt, it will be ok as long as it’s pure tomatoes and doesn’t have any added sugar/salt etc – N x
This was very delicious. I will definitely make again. Hubby liked it too. Pretty easy but not for a weeknight after work.
Yes definitely a great midweek meal – N x
Do you cook this with the lid?
Hi Nagi, I am making this for my Father-in-law today. Is it ok to freeze? We love your recipes and my children are devoted fans too!
Hi Carol, I find that the orzo can become a little hard when frozen – if you thaw it, I would add a little liquid to it to help loosen it up 🙂