I used to work at a beloved Italian restaurant in San Francisco that had a retail counter stocked full of salads, savory pastries, whole roast chickens, charcuterie, and cheese. When I opened the front door each day, the aroma of rotisserie chicken and pollo al mattone would waft by me—quite possibly one of the nicest ways to be greeted first thing in the morning. I think that’s why people gravitated towards the place, aside from the wonderful pasta.

Let’s face it, the smell of roasted chicken just warms the soul—there’s really nothing like it. And if you have a few great roast chicken recipes in your arsenal, you can conjure up those cozy feelings pretty much any day of the week. We’ve gathered some of our favorites—from perfect roast chicken to foolproof pan-roasted chicken with vegetables. For those who want to infuse their bird with different flavors, we also have a spicy, citrusy Spanish roast chicken and an aromatic lavender-and thyme-infused bird that will transport you to Provence. So grab a bird and get roasting!

This Greek chicken orzo casserole is my flavorful and comforting take on Mediterranean chicken in a casserole form. It’s packed with fresh ingredients and bold Mediterranean flavors, and is perfect for busy weeknights because everything bakes together in one casserole dish. Bookmark this one! It’s been on the regular rotation in my house since I developed it — it’s just THAT good.

The Ingredients

• Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs will also work, just make sure they’re also boneless and skinless and cut into 1 in. chunks.
• Feta: You’ll need a whole whopping block of feta. It cooks down into the most amazing creamy sauce once you stir the casserole together after it bakes. Seriously, so rich, creamy and amps up the Greek-inpsired flavors.
• Spinach: 2 cups of spinach will cook down significantly when baked — it sounds like a lot of spinach, but definitely isn’t over-powering once it cooks down and wilts.
• Cherry tomatoes: The tomatoes will burst either when baked or when you’re tossing the casserole together with the sauce right before serving, so no need to spend time halving them before baking.
• Oregano: You’ll season the chicken with oregano and salt. It adds just the right amount of flavor that complements the Mediterranean flavors without overpowering.

Equipment

This casserole needs to be baked both covered and uncovered, so you’ll ideally want to use a casserole dish that has a cover like this one below . If you don’t have a covered casserole dish, simply cover your baking dish with aluminum foil when baking.

How To Make Greek Chicken Orzo Bake

This orzo casserole has MINIMAL prep time, and then it spends the rest of its time baking away in the oven Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Add the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, onion, olives, orzo, salt, and dried oregano right into the casserole dish and mix to combine. 
2. In a separate bowl, season the chicken with the remaining salt and oregano, and toss to coat. 
3. Add the chicken and broth to the casserole dish and stir to combine. 
4. Make a small hole in the center of all of the ingredients and place the block of feta in the middle. Cover and bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. 
5. Remove the casserole from the oven, stir, and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes.
6. Remove the casserole from the oven and stir together until the feta has turned into a creamy sauce. Top with fresh basil, and ENJOY!

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to store mine right in the casserole dish that it was baked in.

More Mediterranean-Inspired Meals

More Recipes Like This

Turn your chicken breast-side up, with the thighs and drumsticks splayed out closer to you and the wings farther away. Pat dry with paper towels, then use the heel of your hand or hands to press down on the breast and flatten the chicken, until you hear the breast bone crack—the notch you cut makes this easier. Blot both sides of the chicken with a paper towel again to make sure everything is dry, and wash your hands. You now have a fully spatchcocked chicken.

Bonus: How to season and grill a spatchcocked chicken

Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Prop styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Thu Buser

There are many ways to prepare a butterflied bird. A brine (wet or dry) is classic for hand-off flavor building, or you can soak it in a marinade. But for a quick summer chicken, a dry rub and a grill are good choices.

For cookbook author Anna Stockwell’s grilled chicken method, you’ll need about 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt for each chicken you plan on grilling. Add 1½ tsp. brown sugar, which will help to caramelize the skin, and about 1 Tbsp. assorted flavorings, such as finely chopped oregano and lemon zest for a bird that transports you to the Greek islands, or jerk seasoning for a Caribbean-inspired bird. Stockwell also recommends ground coriander, lime zest, freshly ground black pepper, or a bit of cayenne. Rub your spice mix all over the spatchcocked chicken, making sure not to miss the wings or now-exposed interior.

Before transferring the bird to the grill, slide a metal skewer through the breast and another through the thighs. “This is a game-changing move,” Stockwell adds, noting that the technique originally comes from cookbook author J. Kenji López-Alt. It might seem tedious, but it ensures your butterflied chicken stays together when you flip it on the grill.

Thin, golden, and covered in a bright lemon-butter sauce, this chicken paillard recipe turns boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a dish that’s quick, elegant, and unexpectedly luxurious. By pounding the meat into thin, even cutlets, the chicken cooks quickly, develops a golden crust, and stays juicy—a far cry from the dry, stringy results that often plague boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

While paillard is a French culinary term for pounding meat thin for quick and even cooking, in the US, chicken paillard often refers to seared chicken breasts with a lemony herb-butter sauce. It’s become a weeknight staple thanks to its ease and speed, offering a meal that feels far more refined than its quick cooking time might suggest.

How to Cook Chicken Cutlets Without Drying Them Out

One of the challenges that makes it hard to cook chicken breast properly is their uneven thickness, which puts the thinner parts at risk of overcooking before the thicker parts are fully cooked through. Pounding them into thin, even cutlets solves the problem, ensuring they cook evenly from edge to center while staying juicy. In just a few minutes, the cutlets develop a light golden crust and cook through.

A Quick Pan Sauce That Pulls It All Together

After the chicken is seared, the fond in the pan becomes the base for a quick pan sauce. Wine and stock deglaze the browned bits, and cold butter swirled in at the end melts gradually, allowing the fat to emulsify evenly into the sauce and create a rich, glossy consistency. Lemon zest and juice brighten the flavors, and fresh parsley, chives, and tarragon add a burst of herbal freshness.

Fast, Easy, and Elegant

Not only is this chicken delicious, but the entire dish comes together in about 30 minutes with one pan and a handful of ingredients. It’s quick enough for any night of the week, but refined enough to serve whenever you want something that feels a bit special.

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• 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces; 64 g) all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt, use half as much by volume

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

• 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 to 8 ounces each; 170 to 227 g each) (see notes)

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) dry white wine

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 medium garlic clove, grated

• 5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces; 71 g) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled (see notes)

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice, divided

• 2 tablespoons (18 g) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

• 2 tablespoons (about 10 g) thinly sliced chives, divided

• 2 teaspoons (about 3 g) finely chopped tarragon leaves, optional, plus more for garnish

• Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). Place a wire rack inside a baking sheet; set aside.

2. In a shallow dish or plate, stir together flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside. Set aside a large plate to transfer chicken to after breading.

3. Working with one chicken breast at a time, place chicken breast on a cutting board. Hold it in place with the palm of your non-cutting hand, and use a sharp knife to slice chicken horizontally into two even cutlets. Repeat process with remaining chicken breast. Cover each breast half with plastic wrap, and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound to 1/3-inch thickness.

4. Place 2 chicken halves in prepared flour mixture, and turn to coat; tap off excess flour mixture, and transfer chicken to the large plate. Repeat process with remaining chicken halves.

5. In a large stainless steel, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches, add two chicken pieces to hot oil; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes total. Repeat process with remaining 2 chicken pieces. Place browned chicken halves on prepared baking sheet, and place in warm oven (do not wipe out skillet).

6. While chicken is resting in oven, heat the same skillet over medium-high. Add wine; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Add stock and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has reduced to about 1/3 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of parsley, 1 tablespoon of chives, 2 teaspoons tarragon (if using), remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, swirling and stirring constantly, until butter is completely melted, about 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken, and garnish with remaining chives, parsley, and additional tarragon (if using), lemon zest, and flaky salt. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Baking sheet, wire rack, large stainless-steel, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet

Notes

You can use 4 store-bought chicken breast cutlets instead of whole chicken breasts, but pounding your own ensures even thickness and more reliable cooking.

Both American- and European-style butter will work for this recipe, but we recommend seeking out European-style butter, as its higher fat content produces a more richly flavored sauce.