One Pan Baked Feta Orzo with Chicken Sausage
This baked feta orzo with sausage is the rare one pan dinner that actually means one pan. The orzo cooks right in the dish, in the broth, alongside summer squash and grape tomatoes and a whole block of feta that melts into a sauce at the end. You fill the dish, cover it, and the oven handles the rest! Under 45 minutes, most of it hands off.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 300kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 oz feta cheese block
- 12 oz orzo I used brown rice orzo
- 12 oz grape tomatoes
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1 medium zucchini cut into ½-inch half moons
- 12 oz chicken sausage links sliced into coins
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the block of feta in the center of a 9×13-inch baking dish.7 oz feta cheese
- Sprinkle the orzo evenly around the feta. Scatter the tomatoes, onion, zucchini, and sliced sausage over the orzo, keeping the feta uncovered. Season with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.12 oz orzo, 12 oz grape tomatoes, 1 small white onion, 1 medium zucchini, 12 oz chicken sausage links, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Pour the broth around the edges of the dish and gently shake the pan to settle the orzo into the liquid. Every piece of orzo needs to be submerged or it won't cook evenly.4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Cover and bake 25 - 35 minutes, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. If the orzo still has bite in the center, cover and give it another 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the dish and broil 2 - 3 minutes until the sausage edges crisp and the feta browns in spots.
- Stir immediately until the feta melts into the orzo. It will look loose and a little broken at first. Keep stirring, it pulls together into a creamy sauce as the liquid absorbs the melted cheese.
- Fold the basil into the orzo until disbursed.¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Let it sit 5 minutes before serving. The orzo absorbs the last of the liquid as it rests. Enjoy!
Notes
Orzo: Brown rice orzo absorbs more liquid and cooks slower than wheat orzo. If you use regular orzo, start with 3 cups of broth instead of 4 and check at 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 1mg