One Pot Hen and Orzo

On this One-Pot Hen and Orzo recipe, crispy rooster thighs prepare dinner proper on prime of the orzo in a garlicky tomato sauce with basil. It’s easy to make, serve it straight from the oven along with your favourite facet salad.

Hen Orzo Recipe

I really like a one-pan dinner a lot that my cookbook Skinnytaste One and Accomplished options 120 one-pot dinner recipes. It’s a fan favourite! So, this one pot rooster orzo bake doesn’t disappoint! The pores and skin is crispy and scrumptious, and the orzo and sauce are so flavorful! I serve it with a easy arugula salad on the facet, however roasted greens, like broccoli or roasted asparagus, would even be nice.

Hen Thighs with Orzo Components

Right here’s what you’ll must make this simple one-pot rooster and orzo recipe:

• Hen Thighs: You need bone-in, skin-on rooster thighs for this meal as a result of we’re going to get the pores and skin tremendous crispy.
• Salt seasons the rooster and attracts out the pores and skin’s moisture so it might get crispy.
• Olive Oil coats the skillet earlier than cooking the rooster.
• Onion: Cube a half cup of white or yellow onion.
• Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta.
• Garlic: Mince 2 to three garlic cloves, relying on how a lot garlic you like.
• Tomato Paste provides this pasta dish a fancy tomato style.
• Broth: The orzo cooks in rooster broth as a substitute of water for extra taste. You could want greater than 3 cups if the pasta soaks up the broth too quick.
• Pecorino Romano is non-obligatory, however I like to recommend including it for a richer taste.
• Basil: Garnish with a chiffonade of contemporary basil. What’s chiffonade? It’s only a fancy French phrase for thinly slicing herbs or leafy greens into strips.

The way to Make Hen and Orzo

1. Prep the Hen: Season the thighs with salt and produce them to room temperature. The salt will launch moisture, so totally dry the rooster pores and skin with paper towels earlier than cooking.
2. Prepare dinner the Hen, pores and skin facet down, in an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven on medium warmth. As soon as they’re golden and crisp, take away the rooster from the pan.
3. Remaining Components: Sauté the onion and season with the remaining salt till fragrant. Add the orzo and toast for 4 to five minutes, stirring often, till most of it’s calmly golden and there’s a nutty aroma. Stir within the garlic, adopted by the tomato paste. Prepare dinner it for a couple of minutes till it caramelizes.
4. Bake: Pour within the broth and produce it to a boil. Put the rooster thighs, flesh facet down, into the orzo, making certain the pores and skin is NOT within the liquid. Switch 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 earlier than it’s cooked, add extra broth.
5. Garnish: Prime the skillet with the grated cheese and basil earlier than serving.

Variations

• Hen: Substitute rooster thighs for any rooster on the bone, akin to rooster drumsticks and rooster breasts, and modify the cooking time as wanted.
• Crispier Hen: Salt the rooster the night time earlier than cooking and depart it uncovered within the fridge in a single day for even crispier pores and 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 purple onion, Vidalia onion, shallot, or leeks.
• Dairy-Free: Omit the Pecorino Romano.
• Herbs and spices: Sub basil for contemporary parsley, add black pepper or crushed purple pepper flakes.

Serving Recommendations

Beneath are some vegetable facet dishes that will be nice with this wholesome rooster orzo recipe.

Storage

The leftover rooster and orzo pasta will preserve within the fridge for as much as 4 days in an hermetic container. It’s also possible to freeze it for 3 months. To eat, thaw it within the fridge and microwave it till heat.

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