Lemony chicken orzo recipe

Take the pain out of a weeknight dinner with this easy one-pot meal. Photo / Fresh Media

This is a simple but flavoursome one-pot meal – ideal for busy weeknights.

The rich chicken and orzo are complemented by the tangy lemon and the warm buzz of chilli flakes (adjust to your family’s taste). This dish contains plenty of vegetables, but feel free to add a side salad for extra greens.

Lemony chicken orzo

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large carrots, peeled

1 large leek, trimmed and washed well

3 Tbsp olive oil

500g boneless chicken thighs

3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

½ tsp chilli or smoked paprika flakes

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons

1 litre chicken stock

½ tsp black pepper

1½ cups orzo pasta

Salt to taste

3 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until starting to colour. Remove and set aside.
3. Cut the carrots and leek into rounds and saute in the chicken pan until beginning to soften – 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves to the dish and give it a quick stir. Add the chilli or smoked paprika, lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan, pour in the cold water, turn up the heat and bring the liquid to the boil. Once boiling, cover with the lid, place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven. Stir the orzo into the liquid around the chicken. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until the orzo is al dente. Set aside the dish for 10 minutes covered so the orzo can soak up the cooking liquid.
6. Check the seasoning once it is cooked and stir in the fresh parsley.

– fresh.co.nz