Stove-Top Chicken and Orzo

by | Apr 7, 2022 | Chicken, Dinner, Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes

Stove-Top Chicken and Orzo
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Long, long day today, and really didn’t have time to plan, or think about, let alone shop for dinner. So we revert to simple food. Dinner using what we have on hand. And I almost always have chicken thighs in the freezer. Chicken thighs are truly great to cook on a weeknight. So easy, so forgiving, so flavorful. I find I don’t have to worry about them getting overcooked and dry, so they work for a variety of types of cooking. Sometimes we just want to keep it simple and do it all in one pan on the stove. Love, love, love a one-pot chicken recipe that incorporates a starch and a variety of vegetables too. This is a nice one if you enjoy your chicken with a little pasta and veggies. So, so good, and so, so easy. The family ate it up, and declared it a keeper. Nothing better than that!

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Chicken thighs cooked with orzo, tomatoes, carrots, celery in one pan on the stove

Stove-Top Chicken Thighs with Orzo

  • Author: Stacey McNeill
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Description

Yummy and simple chicken and orzo one-pot dish makes dinner a breeze, and so delish!

Ingredients

  • 5 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil of your choice
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

  1. Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat cooking oil in a large saute pan. Brown the chicken thighs, skin side down, over med-high heat until brown. Turn and brown on the other side. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
  3. Add onion, carrot and celery to the pan and saute, cooking until onion is getting translucent and veggies are just beginning to soften. Add garlic and oregano and continue to saute for a minute or two until fragrant.
  4. Return chicken to the pan. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes along with the juices, and cook on high for a couple minutes until the broth starts to simmer.
  5. Add the orzo and stir well, making sure the orzo is mostly covered by the liquid.
  6. Cover and cook for about 12  minutes. At this point the orzo should still be a bit al dente. Check to make sure the orzo is cooked. If it still is a bit hard in spots or too chewy and if it has absorbed all the broth, add a bit more broth or other liquid, stir and cook for another few minutes.
  7. Add the parsley, olives and feta and turn heat to low. Just simmer for a minute or two more before serving.