Greek Chicken Skillet & Fresh Herb Orzo Salad

I adore Greek inspired food, especially in the summer. Fresh herbs, bright raw tomatoes and cucumber, briny feta. It screams warm weather and dinners al fresco- this dinner included!

This 30-minute meal can be prepared in the oven or on the grill, with a quick dairy-free greek marinade paired with a fresh and herby orzo salad (prep tip: prepare the orzo 1-2 days in advance to save on cooking time and extra heat!) that’s prepared as the chicken is marinating.

Greek Chicken Skillet with fresh herb orzo salad

Ingredients: 
1.25-1.5 lb chicken (thighs are preferred, thin-cut breast work, too)
1/3 cup olive oil
Juice + zest of 1 lemon
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp paprika
oil as needed to cook

1.5 cups dry orzo (prep note: prepare the orzo up to two days in advance)
1 cup persian cucumber, diced
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
Big pinch salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare marinade: combine all marinade ingredients and whisk well. Remove chicken from packaging, cover completely in marinade and let sit 10-15 minutes (or longer) as you prepare salad.
2. To prepare orzo, fill a medium to large pot 3/4 with water. Bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, season heavily and add orzo. Cook according to package directions (around 8-10 minutes). Do not overcook! Remove immediately, strain and set aside to cool.
4. To prepare chicken, preheat oven to 375. Drizzle a scant amount of oil in a large cast-iron skillet (grill pan or saute pan works, as well). Heat to medium-high. Alternate option: Preheat grill to 400. Grill chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through (internal temperature is 165).
5. Sear chicken until golden (2-3 minutes). Flip and repeat. Place in oven to finish cooking, around 8-12 minutes* depending on size of chicken pieces (internal temperature is 165).
6. Prepare salad: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Combine with cooled and drained orzo (lightly rinse if needed to cool- dry well before dressing!), vegetables, olives and feta (I like to reserve a bit of feta and herbs to top). Serve with warm chicken.

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