Delicious Chicken And Orzo Bake
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Get ready to indulge in the most epic one-pot dinner extravaganza of your life!
Today, we’re diving into the world of chicken and orzo, and trust me, you won’t want to miss this!. No more boring, bland weeknight meals!
Imagine a dish that’s packed with flavor, color, and texture – that’s what you get with this chicken and orzo bake. The spinach and sun-dried tomatoes add a nice pop of color and loads of flavor to the cheesy orzo.
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). While that’s heating up, sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of your chicken thighs. Don’t be shy – you want that flavor to shine through!
Next, heat up some olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken thighs and cook until seared and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes each side. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Now it’s time to add some aromatics to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil. Throw in some chopped onions and cook until they’re tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Then, add some minced garlic and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
Add some butter to the pot and let it melt. Then, add the orzo and stir until it’s fully coated with butter. Carefully pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat.
Now it’s time to add the magic ingredients – spinach, Parmesan, dried tomatoes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir until everything is well combined.
Nestle the chicken thighs into the orzo mixture and cover the pot. Return it to the oven and bake until the chicken is no longer pink at the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the center reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes.
And that’s it! Serve the chicken and orzo bake hot, garnished with lemon wedges. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner that’s sure to become a staple in your household.
Printable Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- 2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken thighs.
- 3. Heat olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- 4. Add half the chicken thighs and cook until seared and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes each side.
- 5. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- 6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil.
- 7. Add chopped onions and cook until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- 8. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 9. Add butter to the pot and let it melt.
- 10. Add the orzo and stir until fully coated with butter.
- 11. Carefully pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.
- 12. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat.
- 13. Add spinach, Parmesan, dried tomatoes, lemon zest, and lemon juice, stirring until well combined.
- 14. Nestle the chicken thighs into the orzo mixture and cover the pot.
- 15. Return it to the oven and bake until the chicken is no longer pink at the center and an instant-read thermometer reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes.
- 16. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges.
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