One-Pan Mediterranean Chicken Sausage Zucchini Orzo

To try

Servings: 4 · $5/serving · Active: 10 min · Total: 35 min ·

candidateto-tryeasyone-panweeknightleftovers

Notes

Added by Thursday candidate discovery from validated source list (Gimme Some Oven); one-pan orzo with chicken sausage fits low-effort weeknight planning.
Imported from structured recipe metadata on 2026-08-27T09:01:57-04:00.
Image saved locally at /images/one-pan-mediterranean-chicken-sausage-zucchini-orzo.jpg.

Quantity	Unit	Item	Section	Pantry?
1	tablespoon	olive oil	Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs	yes
12	ounces	fully cooked chicken sausage (sliced into coins)	Meat & Seafood	no
2	medium	zucchini (sliced into half-moons)	Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs	no
4	cloves	garlic (minced)	Produce	no
8	ounces	uncooked orzo	Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs	no
3	cups	chicken broth	Canned soup/broth/crackers	no
1	teaspoon	dried oregano	Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs	no
1/2	teaspoon	freshly ground black pepper	Baking/flour/cake mixes/sweeteners/spices/oils/canned fruit/baking nuts	yes
1		lemon (zested and juiced)	Produce	no
1/4	cup	chopped fresh dill (plus extra for topping)	Canned vegetables/pickles/olives/beans/condiments/dressings/salad toppings/rice/bread crumbs	no
2	cups	roughly-chopped fresh baby spinach	Produce	no
1/2	cup	crumbled feta (for topping)	Cheese Products	no

Brown the sausage. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and flipping occasionally, until browned on both sides. Transfer the sausage to a clean plate and set aside.
Cook the zucchini. Add the zucchini to the same pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden.
Add the garlic and orzo. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the orzo and cook for another minute, stirring frequently, to lightly toast it.
Simmer. Add the chicken broth, oregano, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low (or whatever heat will maintain a low simmer) and cook, stirring often, for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente and most of the broth has been absorbed.
Finish. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, and spinach. Cook for 1 minute, until creamy and the spinach is just wilted. Return the sausage to the pan and gently stir to combine.
Serve. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. If the orzo seems too dry, you can also add in an extra splash of broth. Serve topped with feta, dill, a twist of black pepper, and enjoy!