Skillet Orzo with Turkey Meatballs, Green Olives, and Feta
By Lan LamPublished on December 4, 2023
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 shallot, chopped coarse (⅓ cup)¼ cup panko bread crumb 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided ¾ teaspoon pepper, divided 1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey ¼ cup milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 3 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided2 cups orzo 4 cups chicken broth ½ teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided⅓ cup pitted green olives ⅓ cup parsley sprigs 2 tablespoons water 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Before You Begin
We like Castelvetrano olives here, but any green olive works.
Instructions
- Process shallot, panko, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in food processor, scraping down sides as necessary, until shallot is finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add turkey, milk, butter, and Worcerstershire and pulse until just combined, 8 to 12 pulses. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. (Turkey mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month).
- Shape ground turkey mix into twelve, 1 ½-inch meatballs. Heat ½ teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook meatballs until well-browned on two sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; leave fat in skillet.
- Add orzo, broth, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to skillet. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to gentle simmer, cover and cook for 6 minutes. Add meatballs and any accumulated juices, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until orzo begins to sizzle, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.
- While orzo cooks, blend olives, parsley, water, lemon zest, remaining 1 tablespoon juice, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in blender until olives are chopped and oil is emulsified, 20 to 30 seconds. Spoon olive sauce over orzo. Sprinkle with feta and serve.
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
1 shallot, chopped coarse (⅓ cup)
¼ cup panko bread crumb
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups orzo
4 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
⅓ cup pitted green olives
⅓ cup parsley sprigs
2 tablespoons water
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 shallot, chopped coarse (⅓ cup)
¼ cup panko bread crumb
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups orzo
4 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
⅓ cup pitted green olives
⅓ cup parsley sprigs
2 tablespoons water
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 shallot, chopped coarse (⅓ cup)
¼ cup panko bread crumb
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups orzo
4 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
⅓ cup pitted green olives
⅓ cup parsley sprigs
2 tablespoons water
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a quick skillet dinner, we started with a ground turkey mixture that could handle the heat without drying out or tightening up. We shaped the mixture into 12 meatballs and seared them on two sides. This created enough of a fond for flavoring a broth that got absorbed by quick-cooking orzo. We parcooked the orzo before nestling the meatballs into the pasta and covering the skillet to allow them to finish cooking. Then we rested the skillet to let the pasta absorb the final bits of broth. While the orzo cooked, we made a vibrant sauce by blending green olives, parsley, lemon juice and zest, and water. Finally, we topped the contents of the skillet with the sauce along with cool and tangy feta crumbles.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
We like Castelvetrano olives here, but any green olive works.
Instructions
- Process shallot, panko, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in food processor, scraping down sides as necessary, until shallot is finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add turkey, milk, butter, and Worcerstershire and pulse until just combined, 8 to 12 pulses. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. (Turkey mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month).
- Shape ground turkey mix into twelve, 1 ½-inch meatballs. Heat ½ teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook meatballs until well-browned on two sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; leave fat in skillet.
- Add orzo, broth, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper to skillet. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to gentle simmer, cover and cook for 6 minutes. Add meatballs and any accumulated juices, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until orzo begins to sizzle, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.
- While orzo cooks, blend olives, parsley, water, lemon zest, remaining 1 tablespoon juice, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in blender until olives are chopped and oil is emulsified, 20 to 30 seconds. Spoon olive sauce over orzo. Sprinkle with feta and serve.
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