Your family will love this hearty Mediterranean Chicken Casserole that’s packed with distinct flavors. This simple recipe includes farro that bakes alongside the casserole and takes less than an hour!
Sautee chicken on the stovetop for this yummy dish, or use precooked chicken to help save on time. Either way, this is a healthy casserole that’s easy enough for weeknight dinner but can also be served for weekend entertaining.
Jump to:
💚 Why You'll Love This Recipe
This healthy chicken casserole with tomatoes is a fantastic recipe to serve any night of the week! With delicious chicken and a variety of veggies, your family will love the Mediterranean flavors in this filling and hearty casserole.
Best of all, it's so easy to prepare! Just combine your ingredients and pop it in the oven. In an hour, you'll have a warm and comforting dish that you'll feel great about serving.
And if you love this combination of flavors and ingredients, try this Mediterranean Chicken Bake for a similar dish! And any family who loves chicken will get a lot of mileage out of this One Skillet Garlic Chicken with Rice.
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- chicken - I like to use chicken breast for this recipe; the protein pairs well with the flavors of this casserole.
- olive oil - used to brown the outside of the chicken.
- farro - a healthy and filling grain that forms the base of this casserole.
- crushed tomatoes - add some color and acidity.
- chicken broth - helps all of the flavors come together while baking.
- garlic
- seasonings - a combination of oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes make this a complex and flavorful dish.
- onion - you can use yellow onion, brown onion, or your favorite!
- zucchini - picks up the Mediterranean flavors.
- red bell pepper - for even more color and vegetable flavor.
- olives - provide a briny flavor.
- feta cheese - a classic ingredient in Mediterranean dishes, soft and mild feta cheese adds a nice saltiness.
- parsley - for garnish.
🔪 Instructions
- Combine farro with tomatoes, chicken broth, garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the cooked chicken, onion, zucchini, and bell pepper, then cover with foil.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes then remove from the oven and stir.
- Top with olives and feta then bake uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes.
❔ FAQs
Chicken breast is a classic choice for casseroles, but you could also use chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat.
If you're looking to add more flavor to this Mediterranean chicken casserole, some common spices and herbs used in Mediterranean cuisine include: basil, cloves, black pepper, sage, thyme, tarragon, oregano, parsley, garlic, lavender, paprika, rosemary, and more!
The chicken broth in this casserole is perfect to maintain a good amount of moisture in your chicken. If you still find it comes out too dry, you can brine the chicken before cooking it by soaking it in salt water for 20 to 30 minutes.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- There's no need to cook the chicken all the way through before adding to the casserole. You just want to get it nice and brown on the outside; the rest will cook in the oven.
- If using parsley, don't add until the very end to preserve flavor and freshness.
📌 This chicken vegetable casserole is packed with yummy flavors and healthy ingredients! Everything you need for a complete meal is present in this one casserole.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- You can use any kind of stock in this dish, including chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- The chicken can be excluded altogether for a vegetarian casserole.
- Instead of farro, you may also be able to make this casserole with brown rice or sorghum. Just be aware that cooking times may vary depending on what kind of grain you use.
- For additional veggies, add artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, white beans, green beans, red onion, or black olives.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Store leftover Mediterranean chicken casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also keep it in the freezer for a few months.
To reheat quickly, transfer to a microwave-safe plate and heat for about a minute. Continue in 30-second increments if more heat is needed. You could also heat the casserole in the oven at 350 degrees F.
From frozen, allow the casserole to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
To make prep super easy, cook your chicken ahead of time. or buy frozen/pre-cooked chicken to skip the cooking step altogether.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Though this healthy chicken casserole is a whole meal in one dish, if you want to pair it with some sides I recommend a salad and bread. Make this Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad, or pair with Baked Dill Fries or this Homemade Cheddar Bacon Slow Cooker Bread.
✔️ More Casserole Recipes You'll Love
- Cornbread Casserole - Perfect as a holiday side dish, this dish has the perfect combination of sweet and savory.
- Vegan Baked Hummus Casserole - For another super healthy dish, make this unique casserole using hummus!
- Dorito Casserole - Upgrade your taco Tuesday meal with this super yummy and cheesy recipe.
- Tuna Noodle Casserole - A classic and comforting dish, this casserole from The Cozy Cook is packed with familiar savory flavors!
Healthy Chicken Casserole with Tomatoes
Love this recipe? Awesome! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below! ⭐
📋 Recipe Card
Mediterranean Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups uncooked farro
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 zucchini, halved and sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place a large skillet with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and saute to brown the chicken on all sides. The chicken does not need to cook all the way through.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed, salt and pepper, ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Mix the farro, tomatoes, chicken broth, garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes in the casserole dish.1 ½ cups uncooked farro, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Distribute the onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and chicken into the tomato mixture. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil.1 onion, diced, 2 zucchini, halved and sliced, 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Carefully remove the casserole from the oven, lift the aluminum foil, and stir. Sprinkle the olives and feta over the top of the casserole. Return the casserole to the oven uncovered. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.½ cup Kalamata olives, halved, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with parsley prior to serving.2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Notes
- Cook the chicken ahead of time, use leftover chicken, or buy pre-cooked chicken to save time.
- Instead of farro, substitute sorghum or brown rice.
- Either chicken thighs or breasts can be used.
- Feel free to add other seasonings like paprika, thyme, and more.
- Exclude the chicken for a vegetarian casserole.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.
And you might want to check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for a whole bunch of great kitchen products I love!
Happy cooking!
Sara Welch
Enjoyed this for breakfast last night and it did not disappoint! I loved all the hearty flavors and textures; easily, a new favorite recipe!
Jeff
This sounds really nice. I will try it with quinoa or rice to make it gluten-free.
Beth
This recipe is perfect for these busy work nights! Everything comes together in under an hour and my family gobbles it up!
Amy
I am a sucker for anything with feta cheese. This meal was so delicious with brown rice!
Andrea
All the fantastic Mediterranean flavors I love in an easy to make casserole. This is perfect.