Chicken Thighs And Orzo Recipes

CHICKEN THIGHS AND ORZO

Steps:

• In a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven, cook pancetta until browned. Remove pancetta, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings (add olive oil if necessary to equal 2 tablespoons.) Drain meat on paper towels & set aside.
• Brown chicken in drippings about 10 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Drain off fat.
• Add undrained tomatoes, orzo, garlic & 1 cup water. Bring to a boil & reduce heat.
• Simmer, covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done (180ºF on meat thermometer) & orzo is tender.
• If necessary, cook an additional 2-3 minutes uncovered to thicken the pan sauce.
• Stir in pancetta, olives and basil & heat through.
• To serve, divide spinach among 6 plates. Top each with a thigh, some of the orzo mixture & some of the cheese.

CRISPY CHICKEN WITH LEMON ORZO

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove the tenders on the underside of the chicken breasts and save for another use. (This makes the chicken breasts an even thickness so they cook evenly.) Heat the canola oil and 4 tablespoons of the butter together in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the butter has melted and begins to sizzle.
• Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Place the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet and cook over medium heat without moving for 12 minutes. With the chicken still skin side down, place the skillet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
• Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat (careful; the handle will be hot!). Turn the chicken skin side up, add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter, and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until the butter is a nutty brown color and the chicken breasts are just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer will register 130 to 140 degrees F). Off the heat, sprinkle on the parsley.
• Divide the Lemon Orzo with Feta among four dinner plates. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and slice each breast crosswise in thick slices. Arrange one breast on each plate with the orzo. Spoon a few tablespoons of the brown butter over each chicken breast, squeeze on some lemon, and sprinkle with salt. Serve hot with a fresh wedge of lemon on each plate.
• In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the orzo. Return the water to a boil and simmer uncovered for 9 to 11 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. Drain.
• Transfer the orzo to a bowl and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Fold in the feta and serve hot.

SKILLET CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BROCCOLI AND ORZO

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron or stainless steel), heat olive oil over medium-high. Cook the chicken, skin-side down, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Decrease heat to medium, add butter and lemon slices, and cook until the lemons release their juices and start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
• Add broccoli, orzo, thyme, garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is lightly toasted and the broccoli is bright green, about 5 minutes.
• Deglaze with the wine and cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the broth and lemon slices to the skillet, then add the chicken thighs, skin-side up, along with any liquid from the plate. Cover the skillet and continue cooking until the orzo is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes.
• If you want to add a little texture and crunch to the dish, uncover and continue to cook until browned and crisp on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm.

ONE-SKILLET CHICKEN WITH BUTTERY ORZO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Rain salt and then some pepper all over chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Nestle chicken, skin side down, in skillet in a single layer with no gaps (if you can't quite fit them all, wait until chicken shrinks slightly, then puzzle in the remaining pieces). Cook until meat is opaque around the edges and skin is deep golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up and transfer skillet to oven; bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
• Set same skillet over medium; combine fennel bulb and leek in skillet and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until leek is looking golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add orzo and cook until pasta is darkened (it will take on a brown hue) to a nice nutty brown in spots and toasty smelling, about 3 minutes. Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting broth absorb before adding more, until orzo is tender and broth is mostly absorbed but pan is not dry, 10-15 minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat, Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking; mix in lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, then chopped fennel fronds. Pile chicken on top and finish with lemon zest.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE ONE-POT WITH ORZO

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub 1 tbsp oil over the chicken and season well, then put skin-side up in an ovenproof casserole dish or roasting tin and bake for 20-25 mins until crisp and golden, but not cooked all the way though. Remove from the dish and put on a plate.
• Add the remaining oil to the dish, mixing it with the chicken fat. Tip in the onion and garlic, then bake for 5-8 mins until the onion is tender.
• Pour in the wine, stirring it with the onions, then leave to evaporate slightly in the residual heat before adding the bay, thyme, rosemary, parsley stalks and tomatoes. Dissolve the stock cube in 300ml boiling water and pour this in, then add the vinegar, capers, if using, olives and orzo. Stir well and season.
• Nestle the chicken back in the pan, skin-side up, and roast for 20 mins until the sauce is thickened, the orzo is tender and the meat is cooked through. Give it a stir, then leave for 10 mins for the orzo to absorb the excess liquid. Scatter over the parsley leaves to serve.

GREEK ORZO CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the chicken, carrots, broth, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and salt. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender., Stir in the orzo, olives and raisins. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and feta cheese.