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This Greek chicken orzo bake is an easy one-pot dinner made with tender chicken, vegetables, and a creamy tzatziki finish. Perfect for busy weeknights.
Why This Recipe Works
This Greek chicken bake is my go-to when I need a low-effort dinner that still feels like a real meal. As a pediatric dietitian and mom, I love recipes like this that come together in one dish and still offer a good balance of protein, carbs, and veggies. The lemon, garlic, and oregano bring that classic Greek chicken flavor, while the tzatziki adds a creamy, fresh finish.
- One-pot = minimal cleanup
- Balanced with protein, carbs, and veggies
- Family-friendly and easy to customize
- Perfect for busy weeknights
Need more easy and nutritious ideas? Here are the most beloved one-pot meals for toddlers and kids to help you get out of a dinner rut.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Chicken – Chicken thighs are more forgiving and stay juicy, but chicken breast works.
- Orzo – a small pasta that cooks right in the broth and soaks up all the flavor
- Broth – Chicken or vegetable broth both work. I often use bone broth for an extra boost of protein and flavor
- Garlic + oregano – key for that classic Greek chicken flavorLemon – adds brightness and really brings everything together
- Tzatziki sauce – adds a creamy, fresh finish. Feel free to make your own or use your favorite store-bought sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken – Swap with chicken breast, ground chicken, or even tofu or chickpeas for a plant-based option
- Orzo – Any small pasta (like ditalini) works well. You can also use rice, but you’ll need to increase the liquid and cooking time
- Zucchini – Try spinach, kale, mushrooms, or frozen peas (stir in at the end)
- Bell pepper – Can skip or swap with carrots or cherry tomatoes
- Tzatziki sauce – Use plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon and garlic, or a dairy-free alternative
- Stir in feta for extra Greek flavor
How to Make Greek Chicken Bake
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: In a large casserole dish, add the orzo, diced chicken, and sliced red onion.
Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the broth, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and lemon juice. Pour over everything and give it a gentle stir to combine.
Step 3: Scatter the red bell peppers on top (don’t mix—this helps them roast slightly instead of getting too soft). Cover tightly (I like to use a baking mat instead of foil) and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 4: Remove from the oven, stir, then mix in the tzatziki sauce and zucchini. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and everything is creamy and cozy.
Helpful Tips from a Dietitian
- Cut chicken into even, bite-sized pieces
This helps everything cook at the same rate so you don’t end up with dry pieces or undercooked spots. - Don’t skip stirring before the final bake
Giving everything a good stir after the first bake ensures the orzo cooks evenly and doesn’t clump together. - Add zucchini at the end
This keeps it tender with a slight bite instead of overly soft and mushy. - Stir in tzatziki off the heat (or right before the final bake)
This keeps it creamy and prevents it from separating or becoming too watery. - Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving
It will thicken slightly and become extra creamy as it sits. So worth the wait. - Texture matters for kids – If your child prefers softer foods, you can chop everything smaller or stir well so flavors are evenly distributed
- Use this as a base – Once you have the method down, you can rotate proteins and vegetables to keep meals interesting without starting from scratch
Greek Chicken Bake FAQs
You can prep everything (except the zucchini and tzatziki) and store it covered in the fridge. When ready to cook, bake as directed and stir in the remaining ingredients at the end.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. When reheating, add a splash of broth or water to loosen the orzo and keep it from drying out.
Yes! As a pediatric dietitian, I love meals like this because they include a variety of nutrients in one dish. For younger children, chop ingredients smaller and let it cool slightly so the texture thickens and is easier to eat.
More Chicken Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Greek Chicken Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 1 ½ cups orzo (270g)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (½-inch pieces)
- 1 medium, zucchini thinly sliced
- 1 cup favorite tzatziki sauce
Optional
- chopped parsley, extra lemon juice, feta cheese, cucumber
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large casserole dish, add the orzo, diced chicken, and sliced red onion.
- In a bowl, whisk together the broth, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and lemon juice. Pour over everything and give it a gentle stir to combine.
- Scatter the red bell peppers on top (don’t mix—this helps them roast slightly instead of getting too soft).
- Cover tightly (I like to use a baking mat instead of foil) and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from the oven, stir, then mix in the tzatziki sauce and zucchini.
- Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and everything is creamy and cozy.
- Finish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. You can set aside portion for your baby and add more tzatziki sauce, feta, olives…whatever you're in the mood for!
Notes
- Cut chicken into even, bite-sized pieces
This helps everything cook at the same rate so you don’t end up with dry pieces or undercooked spots. - Don’t skip stirring before the final bake
Giving everything a good stir after the first bake ensures the orzo cooks evenly and doesn’t clump together. - Add zucchini at the end
This keeps it tender with a slight bite instead of overly soft and mushy. - Stir in tzatziki off the heat (or right before the final bake)
This keeps it creamy and prevents it from separating or becoming too watery. - Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving
It will thicken slightly and become extra creamy as it sits. So worth the wait.
I made this last night for my son who has a lot of allergies. We used cassava orzo since he cant eat wheat. I made coconut yogurt based tz sauce to also make it dairy-free to suit his needs. In a hurry I used pre-cooked chicken from the day before to make it faster. The recipe was a success! Even with gf orzo the amounts were spot on. It was creamy and smelled so good. He gobbled it up and now I have leftovers in the freezer for other days. A great one pan meal with a unique spin that doesnt feature tomatoes and is so flavorful (he cant eat them and we struggle to find tomato-free recipes with pasta based items). Thanks for a great healthy balanced meal!
AMAZING!! Thank you so much for sharing all these allergy-friendly tips! I’m so glad this meal brought you all joy and nourishment ❤️