Orzo with chicken and lemon
This orzo with chicken and lemon is inspired by Israeli cooking, adapted from a recipe by Ruhama Shitrit. Orzo looks like rice, but it is a small pasta shape also known as risoni in Italy. Here, everything cooks together in one pan. That makes it a handy weekday meal without much work. If you like it nice and tangy, put some extra lemon on the table. A simple salad alongside is enough.
Servings people
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs (boneless)
- 300 g orzo
- 1 onion
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp onion powder
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 600 ml water (boiling)
- 10 g basil
Instructions
Preparation
- Finely chop 1 onion. Scrub 1 lemon, finely grate the yellow zest and squeeze half the lemon. Cut the rest into wedges. Tear 10 g basil into pieces. Pat 8 chicken thighs dry.
Cooking
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan about 30 cm across with a fitted lid over a medium heat. Stir in 0.75 tsp turmeric powder, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.25 tsp black pepper and 0.75 tsp salt for 15 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken thighs and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Keep the heat low enough to stop the spices burning. The chicken does not need to be cooked through yet.
- Mix 600 ml water with 1 tbsp olive oil, 0.25 tsp turmeric powder, 0.25 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce. Scatter 300 g orzo and the lemon zest between and over the chicken, then pour in the hot mixture. Make sure the pasta is in the liquid.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook over the lowest heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Check after 10 to 15 minutes that there is still liquid at the bottom. Gently loosen the pasta if needed and add a splash of boiling water if it is drying out.
- Check that the orzo is tender and the chicken cooked through. Allow another 5 minutes if needed. If measuring, the thickest part of the chicken must reach at least 75 °C for 30 seconds.
Serving
- Stir in lemon juice to taste and scatter over the basil. Serve the remaining lemon wedges alongside.
Notes
Orzo is also sold as risoni. Skinless chicken thighs work best. Cooking times vary by brand of orzo; check the pasta as it cooks.
Nutrition
Calories: 680kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 50gFat: 27gSaturated fat: 6g
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!
