Made entirely in one pot, these Greek meatballs and orzo are packed with incredible Greek flavors and ready in under an hour!
It’s always a good day for a one pot dinner! Even more so if meatballs and pasta are involved.
This beauty of a skillet just ticks all the dinner boxes AND it’s the easiest thing ever to pull off. No, really, one skillet + 50 minutes + handful of ingredients standing between you and this dinner gem.
Just between you and me though it’s really the meatballs that seal the deal – they are next level.
It’s also just a freaking beauty with all that color magic going on.
Definitely one of those dinners you may very well find yourself digging into straight from the pan.
These Greek Meatballs and Orzo feature…
- Tender and juicy chicken meatballs
- Fluffy orzo spiced up with feta cheese, olives, and roasted red peppers
- Comes together in one pot in less than an hour
Making the Greek Meatballs
(scroll down to the bottom of post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground chicken
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Shallot
- Orzo pasta
- Roasted red peppers
- Kalamata olives (optional)
- Feta cheese
- Chicken broth
- Lemon
What Kind of Meat To Use?
We’ve found that ground chicken is our preference for this dish, however, if you don’t have ground chicken on hand, you can easily substitute using these different ground meats. >>
- Beef
- Turkey
- Pork
You may have to adjust cook time slightly, but other than that the rest of the recipe will remain the same.
Tips for Perfect Greek Meatballs and Orzo
- Lightly fold meatball “dough” – use a light hand when mixing the dough so as not to overwork it!
- Sear meatballs – sear the meatballs in olive oil and let cook until meatballs register 165F.
- Toast orzo – just a quick couple-minute toast is all it takes to add some color to the orzo
- Simmer orzo in chicken broth – the orzo soaks up so much flavor from cooking in the chicken broth.
- Use fresh lemon juice + zest – the fresh lemon is key here for giving this orzo a bright, fresh flavor!
- Fold fresh herbs in orzo – this adds one last little kick of herby flavor.
- Arrange meatballs on top of orzo – pro tip: top with extra feta!
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a little bit of a different spin on this recipe!
- Try a different pasta – any short cut of pasta such as elbows or small shells will work in this recipe
- Use another meat – read notes above for other meat suggestions.
- Add different mix-ins – sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, or a handful of spinach would work great in place of the roasted red peppers.
- Try a new cheese – Try shredded cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, or your favorite.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can prep several components of this dish ahead of time for easy and fast assembly when you’re ready to eat!
Meatballs: form meatballs, wrap well, refrigerate up to 4 days, then cook meatballs according to recipe instructions.
Prep add-ins: chop shallot, garlic, herbs, roasted red peppers, and olives and store in refrigerator up to 2 days.
Once meatballs and orzo is assembled it will keep great in the fridge up to 6 days.
Reheat leftovers in microwave 1-2 minutes, stirring at 30 second increments.
This is just the perfect dinner package, y’all. The meatballs are SUPER juicy, the orzo is perfectly fluffy, and the addition of roasted red peppers, feta, and lots of herbs makes it taste incredibly fresh.
You won’t be able to resist diving into this gem of a skillet dinner!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More easy one pot dinners to make next!
One Pot Greek Meatballs and Orzo
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Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 medium clove garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Orzo
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry orzo pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
- 1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper
- 1/4 cup diced kalamata olives (optional)
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Additional feta and fresh herbs for topping (optional)
Instructions
Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, garlic, and egg. Scoop mixture into 1-in meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and swirl pan to evenly coat. Add meatballs to pan and sear on all sides, turning occasionally with a tongs until meatballs are golden brown.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking meatballs, turning occasionally until they register 165F. Transfer to a clean plate and keep warm.
Orzo
- Add olive oil to same pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute 2-3 minutes until tender. Add garlic and orzo and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until orzo is slightly toasted.
- Pour chicken broth into skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer orzo 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally until orzo is tender and most of liquid is evaporated.
- Fold lemon juice, zest, oregano, parsley, roasted red peppers, olives (if using), and feta into orzo and cook an extra few minutes until heated through.
- Remove orzo from heat and arrange meatballs on top. Garnish with additional feta and fresh herbs if desired. Serve meatballs and orzo warm and enjoy!
Lola says
This looks like a keeper recipe!! I bet lamb would be a good substitute for the chicken in the meatballs. Looking forward to trying this one!! Thank you!!
Sarah says
What a good idea! Please let me know how it goes if you try these meatballs with lamb! 🙂
vivian says
This was enjoyed by my husband and daughter (I don’t eat meat, so I didn’t try it). It certainly took all of the 50 minutes stated, but seeing people enjoy what you make is worth it. Served with roasted green beans. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sarah says
Hi Vivian! So glad to hear that this dish was a hit with your family. 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Pam says
This is a go to recipe at my house. I like to add cut cherry tomatoes and spinach when I fold in the other ingredients at step 3 and keep the entire dinner in one skillet.