On this One-Pot Hen and Orzo recipe, crispy hen 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 Finished options 120 one-pot dinner recipes. It’s a fan favourite! So, this one pot hen 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 pieces in a single pot retains this recipe straightforward and makes cleanup a breeze. Good for busy weeknights!
- Scrumptious: Though the substances 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 hen and lower the onion and garlic.
Hen Thighs with Orzo Elements
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this straightforward one-pot hen and orzo recipe:
- Hen Thighs: You need bone-in, skin-on hen thighs for this meal as a result of we’re going to get the pores and skin tremendous crispy.
- Salt seasons the hen and attracts out the pores and skin’s moisture so it might probably get crispy.
- Olive Oil coats the skillet earlier than cooking the hen.
- 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 offers this pasta dish a posh tomato style.
- Broth: The orzo cooks in hen broth as a substitute of water for extra taste. It’s possible 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.
Easy methods to Make Hen and Orzo
- Prep the Hen: Season the thighs with salt and convey them to room temperature. The salt will launch moisture, so totally dry the hen pores and skin with paper towels earlier than cooking.
- Cook 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 hen from the pan.
- Remaining Elements: 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 flippantly 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.
- Bake: Pour within the broth and convey it to a boil. Put the hen thighs, flesh facet 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.
- Garnish: High the skillet with the grated cheese and basil earlier than serving.
Variations
- Hen: Substitute hen thighs for any hen on the bone, equivalent to hen drumsticks and hen breasts, and alter the cooking time as wanted.
- Crispier Hen: Salt the hen 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 one more 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
Under are some vegetable facet dishes that might be nice with this wholesome hen orzo recipe.
Storage
The leftover hen 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.
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 hen thighs with ¾ tsp of salt & deliver to room temperature; totally dry hen 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 hen thighs pores and skin facet down. Render till golden and crisp, about 12-Quarter-hour. Take away hen 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 flippantly 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 hen broth & deliver to a boil. Nestle hen thighs, flesh facet down, into the orzo (make it possible for the pores and skin is NOT within the liquid) 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 ⅓ cup increments.
- For even crispier pores and skin salt hen the night time earlier than and depart within the fridge,
uncovered, over night time - Any kind of onion can be utilized and never have an effect on the composition, we propose
yellow however pink, 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
