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One Pot Chicken and Orzo with Mixed Vegetables

June 18, 2021 By justalittlebitofbacon Leave a Comment

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Browned skin, juicy meat, tender vegetables, pasta soaking up the drippings – my quick one pot chicken and orzo has it all! And minimal cleanup since you’re only using one skillet. Bonus!

Top view of a bowl filled with orzo and vegetables topped with a golden brown chicken thigh.

Hello, all.

With the farmers’ markets in full swing again, I’ve been picking up all sorts of spring fruits and veggies – strawberries, Hakurei turnips, garlic scapes, rhubarb, asparagus, and more!

Some nights I’m not sure what to make first from my latest haul, but other nights I know I want quick, easy, and the whole meal in one pot.

Here we have fresh asparagus and parsley from the farm, some nice thighs from the market, my favorite orzo (De Cecco) and a good amount of frozen peas. (Fresh peas I tend to eat out of hand or really highlight since they’re so hard to get.)

So let’s dig in and get into the recipe details…

Top view of a skillet filled with chicken thighs, orzo, asparagus, and peas.

What do you need?

  • Chicken Thighs – For best flavor use bone in and skin on. I prefer organic and local if I can get it.
  • Orzo – This compact and quick cooking pasta makes a perfect bed for the meat.
  • Onion/Garlic – Some of each, sauteed until soft.
  • White Wine/Stock – Wine to deglaze the pan and stock for cooking pasta.
  • Vegetables – I use asparagus and peas, but you can pick any number of other veggies, like carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower. Just cut them small.
  • Seasonings – Fresh parsley, along with salt and pepper.

Ingredients for the recipe.

How to make this

To make one pot chicken and orzo, start by browning the thighs, then add pasta, stock, and vegetables to the pan. Finish cooking though in the oven.

Since this is such a simple dish, I’m just going to give you the bullet points here and you can head to recipe for the rest.

  1. Brown the chicken in a hot skillet then move to a bowl.
  2. Saute the onion and garlic.
  3. Add the orzo and parsley and deglaze with wine.
  4. Bring stock to a boil.
  5. Add veggies then chicken.
  6. Roast in oven until done.

Step by step on how to make the recipe.

Tips and Tricks

  • Chicken. Use skin on for the best flavor! If you want to brine, salt the meat for at least one hour before cooking and up to overnight.
  • Rice. If you want to use rice in place of orzo you will need to simmer it in the stock for about 10 minutes before adding in the meat and veggies.
  • Stock. Use low or no sodium to keep the dish from being too salty.
  • Vegetables. You can switch them up for other choices but make sure to cut whatever you are using to the same sizes – diced or batons.

Chicken, orzo, and vegetables in a bowl with thigh cut open and a piece on a fork.

More One Pot Dinners

  • Portuguese Chorizo and Sweet Potato
  • Greek Lamb Meatballs and Rice
  • Ground Beef Skillet Pasta
  • Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
  • One Pot Mac and Cheese

If you try my recipe for One Pot Chicken and Orzo, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails or liking my Facebook or Pinterest (see the form and icons in the sidebar or below the recipe card)

– Stay Safe, Annemarie

Use only a skillet in my one pot chicken and orzo dinner! Juicy thighs, pasta, and plenty of vegetables in this easy, weeknight meal. | justalittlebitofbacon.com
Print Recipe

One Pot Chicken and Orzo with Mixed Vegetables

Use only a skillet in my one pot chicken and orzo dinner! Juicy thighs, pasta, and plenty of vegetables in this easy, weeknight meal.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken and orzo, one pot chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 600kcal
Author: justalittlebitofbacon

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 skin on, bone in chicken thighs
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 8 oz orzo
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 cups low or no sodium chicken stock
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400F.
  • Add oil to a large, high-sided skillet and heat on medium-high until shimmery.
  • Season chicken with kosher salt and black pepper, then add it to the skillet skin side down. Sear until browned, about 5 minutes, then turn and sear on the other side for 3 more minutes.
  • Remove browned thighs to a bowl and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil.
  • Reduce heat to low and saute onion for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
  • Add orzo and parsley and stir in. Pour in wine and bring to a boil, cooking it down for 1 minute. Add stock and bring to boil again.
  • Scatter the vegetables around the skillet in an even-ish layer. Then lay the chicken down on top, skin side up.
  • Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Take it out when the chicken reaches 160F on a thermometer and the orzo is cooked through.
  • Let rest 5 minutes, then squeeze some of the lemon over the top and serve.

Notes

  • Asparagus: Trim by snapping off the tough ends. Also, a bunch is about 1 pound of stalks.
  • Orzo: You can sub in Pearl Couscous (the large sized ones) for the orzo.
Recipe in a bowl with text overlay - Chicken and Orzo.
Recipe in a bowl with text overlay - One Pot Chicken and Orzo.

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Filed Under: chicken for dinner, main courses, recipe, spring Tagged With: asparagus, chicken, parsley, pasta, peas

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Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

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