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

Hen Orzo Recipe

I like a one-pan dinner a lot that my cookbook Skinnytaste One and Achieved 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 aspect, 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 straightforward 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 could possibly 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 favor.
• Tomato Paste offers this pasta dish a fancy tomato style.
• Broth: The orzo cooks in rooster broth as an alternative of water for extra taste. Chances are you’ll want greater than 3 cups if the pasta soaks up the broth too quick.
• Pecorino Romano is elective, however I like to recommend including it for a richer taste.
• Basil: Garnish with a chiffonade of recent basil. What’s chiffonade? It’s only a fancy French phrase for thinly slicing herbs or leafy greens into strips.

How one can Make Hen and Orzo

1. Prep the Hen: Season the thighs with salt and convey them to room temperature. The salt will launch moisture, so totally dry the rooster pores and skin with paper towels earlier than cooking.
2. Cook dinner the Hen, pores and skin aspect 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 sometimes, till most of it’s evenly golden and there’s a nutty aroma. Stir within the garlic, adopted by the tomato paste. Cook dinner it for a couple of minutes till it caramelizes.
4. Bake: Pour within the broth and convey it to a boil. Put the rooster thighs, flesh aspect down, into the orzo, guaranteeing 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: High the skillet with the grated cheese and basil earlier than serving.

Variations

• Hen: Substitute rooster thighs for any rooster on the bone, reminiscent of rooster drumsticks and rooster breasts, and regulate the cooking time as wanted.
• Crispier Hen: Salt the rooster the evening 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 pink onion, Vidalia onion, shallot, or leeks.
• Dairy-Free: Omit the Pecorino Romano.
• Herbs and spices: Sub basil for recent parsley, add black pepper or crushed pink pepper flakes.

Serving Ideas

Beneath are some vegetable aspect dishes that might be nice with this wholesome rooster orzo recipe.

Storage

The leftover rooster and orzo pasta will maintain within the fridge for as much as 4 days in an hermetic container. You may also freeze it for 3 months. To eat, thaw it within the fridge and microwave it till heat.

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