On this One-Pot Hen and Orzo recipe, crispy rooster thighs cook 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 facet 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 facet, however roasted greens, like broccoli or roasted asparagus, would even be nice.
Why This One Pan Hen Orzo Recipe Works
- Handy: Cooking all the things in a single pot retains this recipe simple and makes cleanup a breeze. Good for busy weeknights!
- Scrumptious: Though the elements could also be easy, this meal is something however bland. Bone-in, skin-on thighs infuse the orzo and broth with wealthy taste, and garlic, onion, and tomato paste improve the dish.
- Fast Prep: The one prep you need to do is salt the rooster and minimize the onion and garlic.
Hen Thighs with Orzo Components
Right here’s what you’ll have to 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 could actually 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 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 non-compulsory, 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
- Prep the Hen: Season the thighs with salt and convey them to room temperature. The salt will launch moisture, so completely dry the rooster pores and skin with paper towels earlier than cooking.
- 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.
- Remaining Components: SautĂ© 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.
- Bake: Pour within the broth and convey 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.
- 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 evening earlier than cooking and go away 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 crimson 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 crimson pepper flakes.
Serving Strategies
Under are some vegetable facet dishes that may 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. You can even freeze it for 3 months. To eat, thaw it within the fridge and microwave it till heat.
Extra One-Pot Meals You’ll Love
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Measurement: 1 thigh, 3/4 cup orzo
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Season rooster thighs with ¾ tsp of salt & convey to room temperature; completely dry rooster pores and skin with a paper towel earlier than step 2.
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Warmth oil in a big oven-safe skillet over medium-low warmth, add rooster thighs pores and skin facet down. Render till golden and crisp, about 12-Quarter-hour. Take away rooster from pan.
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In the identical pan, add onion and remaining salt and saute till fragrant, 4-5 minutes.
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Add orzo and toast 4-5 minutes, stirring often, till most items are calmly golden and there’s a nutty aroma.
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Add garlic and blend to mix. Add tomato paste and cook dinner to caramelize, 2-3 minutes.
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Add rooster broth & convey to a boil. Nestle rooster thighs, flesh facet down, into the orzo (ensure that the pores and skin is NOT within the liquid) Â and switch to the oven Bake for 20-25 minutes, or till orzo is cooked by way of.*
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Serve in cooking vessel and high with grated cheese and basil.
Final Step:
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add extra broth in â…“ cup increments.Â
- For even crispier pores and skin salt rooster the evening earlier than and go away within the fridge,
 uncovered, over evening -  Any kind of onion can be utilized and never have an effect on the composition, we advise
yellow however crimson, vidalia, shallot and even leek works simply as effectively - A 7 oz jar of tomato paste yields about ¾ cup.
Serving: 1 thigh, 3/4 cup orzo, Energy: 425 kcal, Carbohydrates: 41.5 g, Protein: 23.5 g, Fats: 18 g, Saturated Fats: 4.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 92 mg, Sodium: 724 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 7 g
