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Ideal for either lunch or dinner, these Mediterranean chicken orzo bowls are really tasty. They’re made with chicken, salad vegetables, crumbled feta cheese, orzo, hummus, and a tangy lemon and red wine vinegar dressing, along with oregano, garlic, and more. These Greek chicken orzo bowls are loaded with flavor and great for meal prep lunches, too. You will love that they are an easy-to-make dinner that the whole family will enjoy. Expect rich, fresh Mediterranean flavors in every delicious mouthful!
Treat your taste buds to this fresh and fragrant Mediterranean chicken orzo pasta bowl. It’s packed with fresh ingredients, herbs, citrus, and juicy chicken.
If chicken is a staple for you, you might also like chicken and dumplings, BBQ chicken nachos, or chicken Bolognese for dinner this week!
Why You’ll Love It
So delicious: The fresh and fragrant flavors in this chicken orzo pasta make it a real palate pleaser!
Easy to make: It’s a simple dish to prepare. Cook the orzo and the chicken, and then combine with the rest of the ingredients.
Customizable: Tweak the recipe however you wish, perhaps subbing chicken thighs for the chicken breasts, using different salad vegetables, or even swapping the orzo for macaroni or the red wine and garlic dressing for another kind.
Greek Chicken Orzo Bowl Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Chicken breasts: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. You could use chicken thighs if you prefer.
Herbs and spices: Oregano, garlic and dill weed flavor the chicken and veggies, and oregano, garlic and black pepper add flavor accents to the dressing.
Orzo: This thin, oval, rice-shaped mini pasta is made from semolina flour. You can sub tiny pasta shapes like macaroni or stellini if you wish.
Hummus: A rich and nutty condiment that pairs beautifully with the Mediterranean flavors. Swap for tzatziki sauce if you want.
Extra virgin olive oil: The main ingredient in the dressing. You can use Greek olive oil or Italian. I like the bold flavor of Greek extra virgin olive oil (this one’s my fave!) in this chicken orzo pasta dish.
How to Make Greek Orzo Bowls
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card
Prepare the orzo: Cook the orzo pasta, following the directions on the package.
Cook the chicken: Dice the chicken and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, dill, and pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes in a preheated skillet.
Prepare the veggies: Dice the peppers, cucumber, onion, and banana peppers.
Assemble the salad: Whisk the salad dressing ingredients together and then toss the cooked chicken in this.
The finishing touches: Serve the orzo pasta topped with the chicken, diced veggies, feta cheese, and hummus. Garnish with dill weed and lemon slices.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, swap the orzo for your favorite kind of gluten-free mini pasta shapes.
Different protein: You can swap the chicken breast for thighs, or even for turkey, shrimp or pork. Looking for a veggie version? Try extra-firm tofu, jackfruit or portobello mushrooms.
Other add-ins: You can add anything else you want to your chicken orzo bowls, such as kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes or green onions. Greek chicken seasoning, extra garlic powder or your favorite fresh herbs would fortify the flavor, or perhaps you could swap the hummus for creamy tzatziki sauce or use some of each.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Start the meal with baked crab legs or seared steak nachos.
Side dish: Pair the orzo salad with polenta fries.
Desserts: Enjoy butter tarts, lemon ricotta cake, or any of these tangy lemon desserts to finish.
How to Store Mediterranean Chicken Orzo
Store: Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for a day or so.
Freeze: This salad doesn’t freeze well.
Top Tips
Cooking the orzo: If you’re new to using orzo, follow the directions on the package. You can prepare it in one of two ways – simmering it in water or broth until tender, or pan frying it in oil or butter to toast and then adding the liquid. Either method works.
Fresh is best: Fresh chicken, lemon juice, dill weed, vegetables, and garlic ensure the freshest flavors. You can sub dried or bottled ingredients if you don’t have fresh however.
Don’t overcook the chicken: Keep an eye on the chicken while it cooks. Once it’s no longer pink in the center it’s done. Cooking it beyond this point just dries it out.
Orzo Pasta and Chicken Bowl FAQs
Also known as yellow wax peppers, these medium size chili peppers are tangy and mild. They are often bright yellow in color but can also be green, orange or red depending on ripeness. Banana peppers can be stuffed, pickled or used in salads.
Also known as risoni, orzo pasta is made from a coarse flour derived from durum wheat. It has a chewy texture and a grainier flavor than rice. As orzo is a type of pasta, you can substitute mini pasta shapes in this recipe if you wish. If you’re starting off with leftover cooked orzo, keep in mind that one cup of dried orzo equals two cups of cooked.
Yes. Just swap the orzo for extra vegetables or cheese. None of the other ingredients in this Mediterranean chicken orzo bowl are high (or even moderate) in carbs.
Greek Chicken Orzo Bowl Recipe
Mediterranean Chicken Orzo Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
- 1 Teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon dill weed, fresh
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- ⅓ Cup banana peppers, sliced
- ⅓ Cup feta cheese, crumbles
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill weed, minced
- 2 Cups orzo
- 3 Tablespoons hummus
For the Dressing:
- ¾ Cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- ¼ Cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
- 2 Teaspoons oregano, dried
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
- Prepare orzo according to package instructions
- Heat a skillet over a medium-high heat.
- Dice the chicken and combine with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic powder, dried dill, and pepper.
- Transfer this mixture into the preheated pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Dice the peppers, cucumber, red onion, and banana peppers.
- Add to a large mixing bowl and combine with dill, olive oil, red wine, vinegar, oregano, minced garlic, and fresh cracked pepper.
- For serving, add orzo to a bowl along with chicken, diced vegetable mix, feta, and hummus.
- Garnish with dill and serve with a lemon slice.
Notes
Fresh is best: Fresh chicken, lemon juice, dill weed, vegetables, and garlic ensure the freshest flavors. You can sub dried or bottled ingredients if you don’t have fresh however.
Don’t overcook the chicken: Keep an eye on the chicken while it cooks. Once it’s no longer pink in the center it’s done. Cooking it beyond this point just dries it out.
Nutrition
This Mediterranean chicken bowl recipe is really good! Boasting a range of fresh flavors, this makes a wonderful lunch or dinner. Juicy chicken breast pairs up with fresh salad vegetables, salty feta cheese, orzo pasta, hummus, and a homemade lemon and oregano vinaigrette style dressing.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I’ve made it twice since I first made this dish. Found myself a new favorite!
This dish has two of my favorite things: Mediterranean and orzo. It did not disappoint.