Greek Chicken Casserole

Greek Chicken Casserole

from kaynutrition.com
50 min

Ready in one pan and with over 30 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving, this Greek chicken casserole is the perfect meal for a family-friendly weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups orzo, uncooked
  • 1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded (about 4 cups, roughly 3 chicken breasts or 6 chicken thighs)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, packed, diced
  • 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled, plus more to serve
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested
  • 5 cups chicken broth, or water
  • Fresh parsley, to serve

Directions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. 2

    If you don’t have cooked chicken, bake the chicken breasts or chicken thighs in the oven for 25 minutes. Once cooked, place the chicken on a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.

  3. 3

    In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, add the diced onion, drizzle with olive oil, and stir until well coated. Transfer the baking dish to the oven for 5 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

  4. 4

    Remove the baking dish from the oven, add the orzo, minced garlic, diced sundried tomatoes, chopped spinach, kalamata olives (optional), oregano, olive oil, and salt, and stir to combine.

  5. 5

    Add the chicken, feta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the casserole dish, and stir again to combine with the other ingredients.

  6. 6

    Pour in the broth and give it a final stir until everything is well incorporated and the orzo, veggies, and chicken are mostly submerged in the liquid.

  7. 7

    Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, then transfer it to the oven to bake for 15 minutes.

  8. 8

    Remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the foil, give everything a good stir, and then return it to the oven, uncovered, for a final 15-20 minutes until the orzo is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

  9. 9

    Once cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving with a sprinkle of feta and parsley. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.