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On this One-Pot Chicken and Orzo recipe, crispy chicken thighs cook right on top of the orzo in a garlicky tomato sauce with basil. It’s easy to make, serve it straight from the oven together with your favorite side salad.

Chicken Orzo Recipe

I really like a one-pan dinner a lot that my cookbook health foods diets One and Done features 120 one-pot dinner recipes. It’s a fan favorite! So, this one pot chicken orzo bake doesn’t disappoint! The skin is crispy and delicious, and the orzo and sauce are so flavorful! I serve it with a straightforward arugula salad on the side, but roasted vegetables, like broccoli or roasted asparagus, would even be great.

Why This One Pan Chicken Orzo Recipe Works

• Convenient: Cooking every thing in a single pot keeps this recipe easy and makes cleanup a breeze. Perfect for busy weeknights!
• Delicious: Although the ingredients could also be easy, this meal is anything but bland. Bone-in, skin-on thighs infuse the orzo and broth with wealthy flavor, and garlic, onion, and tomato paste enhance the dish.
• Quick Prep: The one prep you’ve to do is salt the chicken and cut the onion and garlic.

Chicken Thighs with Orzo Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll must make this easy one-pot chicken and orzo recipe:

• Chicken Thighs: You would like bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this meal because we’re going to get the skin super crispy.
• Salt seasons the chicken and draws out the skin’s moisture so it will possibly get crispy.
• Olive Oil coats the skillet before cooking the chicken.
• Onion: Dice a half cup of white or yellow onion.
• Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta.
• Garlic: Mince 2 to three garlic cloves, depending on how much garlic you favor.
• Tomato Paste gives this pasta dish a fancy tomato taste.
• Broth: The orzo cooks in chicken broth as a substitute of water for more flavor. Chances are you’ll need greater than 3 cups if the pasta soaks up the broth too fast.
• Pecorino Romano is optional, but I like to recommend adding it for a richer flavor.
• Basil: Garnish with a chiffonade of fresh basil. What’s chiffonade? It’s just a elaborate French word for thinly slicing herbs or leafy greens into strips.

Easy methods to Make Chicken and Orzo

1. Prep the Chicken: Season the thighs with salt and convey them to room temperature. The salt will release moisture, so thoroughly dry the chicken skin with paper towels before cooking.
2. Cook the Chicken, skin side down, in an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven on medium heat. Once they’re golden and crisp, remove the chicken from the pan.
3. Remaining Ingredients: Sauté the onion and season with the remaining salt until fragrant. Add the orzo and toast for 4 to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of it’s evenly golden and there’s a nutty aroma. Stir within the garlic, followed by the tomato paste. Cook it for just a few minutes until it caramelizes.
4. Bake: Pour within the broth and convey it to a boil. Put the chicken thighs, flesh side down, into the orzo, ensuring the skin is NOT within the liquid. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. If the orzo has soaked up an excessive amount of of the liquid before it’s cooked, add more broth.
5. Garnish: Top the skillet with the grated cheese and basil before serving.

brown the chicken skin
saute onions
add the orzo and tomato paste

add broth and chicken thighs
bake until liquid absorbs and skin is crisp

Variations

• Chicken: Substitute chicken thighs for any chicken on the bone, comparable to chicken drumsticks and chicken breasts, and adjust the cooking time as needed.
• Crispier Chicken: Salt the chicken the night before cooking and leave it uncovered within the refrigerator overnight for even crispier skin.
• Pasta: Swap the orzo for an additional small pasta, like acini di pepe.
• Make it gluten-free with gluten-free orzo.
• Onion: Use a red onion, Vidalia onion, shallot, or leeks.
• Dairy-Free: Omit the Pecorino Romano.
• Herbs and spices: Sub basil for fresh parsley, add black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.

Serving Suggestions

Below are some vegetable side dishes that will be great with this healthy chicken orzo recipe.

Storage

The leftover chicken and orzo pasta will keep within the refrigerator for as much as 4 days in an airtight container. You can even freeze it for 3 months. To eat, thaw it within the fridge and microwave it until warm.

More One-Pot Meals You’ll Love

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 thigh, 3/4 cup orzo

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• Season chicken thighs with ¾ tsp of salt & bring to room temperature; thoroughly dry chicken skin with a paper towel before step 2.

• Heat oil in a big oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat, add chicken thighs skin side down. Render until golden and crisp, about 12-Quarter-hour. Remove chicken from pan.

• In the identical pan, add onion and remaining salt and saute until fragrant, 4-5 minutes.

• Add orzo and toast 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most pieces are evenly golden and there may be a nutty aroma.

• Add garlic and blend to mix. Add tomato paste and cook to caramelize, 2-3 minutes.

• Add chicken broth & bring to a boil. Nestle chicken thighs, flesh side down, into the orzo (be sure that that the skin is NOT within the liquid)  and transfer to the oven Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until orzo is cooked through.*

• Serve in cooking vessel and top with grated cheese and basil.

Last Step:

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*Have a bit of additional broth available in case the orzo soaks up the broth too fast,
add more broth in ⅓ cup increments. 

• For even crispier skin salt chicken the night before and leave within the refrigerator,
   uncovered, over night
•  Any kind of onion could be used and never affect the composition, we recommend
  yellow but red, vidalia, shallot and even leek works just as well
• A 7 oz jar of tomato paste yields about ¾ cup.

Serving: 1 thigh, 3/4 cup orzo, Calories: 425 kcal, Carbohydrates: 41.5 g, Protein: 23.5 g, Fat: 18 g, Saturated Fat: 4.5 g, Cholesterol: 92 mg, Sodium: 724 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 7 g