Chicken Orzo Bake
Make this delicious chicken orzo bake tonight! A simple one-pot meal, ready in under an hour, and a real family favorite.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 454kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven or another large, heavy-bottomed, and oven-safe dish, Note 1
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 1.8 lbs/ 800 g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Orzo bake:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 5-6 bacon slices chopped, 2.5 oz/ 75 g, Note 2
- 1 red bell pepper or pointed pepper, thin, small strips or small cubes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 14 oz7 400 g
- ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar Note 3
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 ¼ cup orzo 9 oz/ 250 g
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Instructions
Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Season the chicken: Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil and all the spices in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat it evenly in the spice mixture.1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon oregano + 1 teaspoon thyme + ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper + 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Sear the chicken: Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the pan. Brown the thighs on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan (you can place them in the same bowl you used for seasoning). I browned the thighs in two batches.
Orzo Chicken Bake:
- Sauté the onion: Heat the third tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Sauté the finely chopped onion for 4-6 minutes, until soft. Add a splash of water if the onion begins to catch at the bottom of the pan; it should not get too brown, just golden.1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 medium onion
- Add the thin pepper strips, diced bacon, and minced garlic. Stir and sauté for 2-3 minutes.1 red bell pepper + 5-6 bacon slices + 3 garlic cloves
- Add more ingredients: Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Stir in the orzo.2 teaspoons tomato paste + 1 can chopped tomatoes + ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon basil + ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes + ½ teaspoon granulated sugar + 2 cups chicken stock + 1 ¼ cup orzo + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake: Nestle the chicken thighs on top, then transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is al dente.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve.1-2 tablespoons parsley
Notes
- The dish: If you don’t have a Dutch oven or another oven-safe pan, use a ceramic or glass casserole to bake the chicken and orzo. Brown the chicken and prepare the rest of the dish in a regular pan on the stovetop. Once everything is ready, transfer the orzo mixture to the baking dish, arrange the thighs on top, and bake as directed.
- Bacon: You can replace it with diced pancetta, or leave it out – it adds flavor, but the dish will still be delicious without it.
- Sugar: You may need it depending on the acidity of the canned tomatoes. Taste the sauce and decide if it's necessary.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the dish | Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 722mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1150IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg