On this One-Pot Hen and Orzo recipe, crispy hen thighs cook dinner proper on prime 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 aspect salad.

Hen Orzo Recipe

I really like a one-pan dinner a lot that my cookbook Skinnytaste One and Accomplished 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 aspect, however roasted greens, like broccoli or roasted asparagus, would even be nice.

Hen Thighs with Orzo Elements

Right here’s what you’ll must make this simple 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 may well 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 favor.
• Tomato Paste provides this pasta dish a fancy 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 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.

The right way to Make Hen and Orzo

1. Prep the Hen: Season the thighs with salt and convey them to room temperature. The salt will launch moisture, so completely dry the hen pores and skin with paper towels earlier than cooking.
2. Prepare dinner the Hen, pores and skin aspect 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.
3. 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 frivolously 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.
4. Bake: Pour within the broth and convey it to a boil. Put the hen thighs, flesh aspect 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.
5. Garnish: High the skillet with the grated cheese and basil earlier than serving.

Variations

• Hen: Substitute hen thighs for any hen on the bone, similar to hen drumsticks and hen breasts, and regulate the cooking time as wanted.
• Crispier Hen: Salt the hen the night time 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 one more 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 Options

Beneath are some vegetable aspect dishes that will 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 too can freeze it for 3 months. To eat, thaw it within the fridge and microwave it till heat.

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