Greek Chicken & Risoni Bake

This Greek Chicken and Risoni Bake is a true delight for your taste buds. It’s a quick and easy recipe that brings together wholesome ingredients like chicken, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and oregano, whisking you away to a sun-soaked beach in Greece with every bite. Bursting with flavour, this dish offers a balanced meal that includes carbs, protein, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables—everything you need for a satisfying and nourishing meal (Serves 6-7).

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Butterflied Plain Chicken/500g Chicken Thigh fillets
• 1 red onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup fennel, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1.5 cups risoni
• 2 cups of salt-reduced chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup passata or tinned tomatoes
• 1 pinch salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh/dried oregano
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¾ cup olives of choice
• 100g Greek feta cheese
• 1 handful fresh oregano/parsley for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. If using the butterflied chicken, cut chicken into thigh, breast and wing pieces. Heat saucepan, add olive oil and brown the butterflied chicken pieces or thigh fillets on each side for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and pan.
2. Heat saucepan, add olive oil, garlic, onion and fennel and brown for 2 minutes. Then add carrots, risoni, diced tomatoes, stock, passata/tinned tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix all ingredients until combined and the mixture has come to a boil, this should take approximately 3-5 minutes. Pour mixture into a deep baking tray (1.5L), place chicken on top and bake for 20-30 minutes. By this point, the chicken should be fully cooked, and the risoni should have partially absorbed the liquid.
3. Top bake with cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta and olives and bake for another 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh oregano/parsley leaves and enjoy your risoni bake!

TIP: For a fresh and wholesome side dish to complement your Greek Chicken and Risoni Bake, try serving it with a garden salad dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper.