This amazing orzo with chicken thighs and spinach packs a punch in flavour, perfect to impress guests at your dinner party.
Summer vibes are in the air! This gorgeous one-pan chicken thigh and lemon spinach orzo is perfect for summer entertaining. Featuring a mix of vibrant colours, this beautiful dish is sure to wow guests and make your dinner party feel extra special. So simple to make, this dish is prepared and served within the hour!
For this recipe, we used a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet to ensure perfect results thanks to the even heat distribution and retention, but any skillet will work just as well for this dish. We love how easy it was to achieve a beautiful browning on our chicken thighs with the Lodge skillet. We also served our dish in the gorgeous skillet to add a rustic charm to our table.
Level: Beginner | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time 45 minutes | Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients:
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup orzo
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, sliced thinly
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons rosemary
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cups spinach, uncooked
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Grated parmesan, for garnish
- Fresh rosemary, for garnish
- Sliced lemon, for garnish
- Red pepper flakes, for garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 204.4° C.
2. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high, about 5 minutes.
3. Season chicken on all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Add oil and sear chicken skin side down until skin is golden brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes.
5. Flip chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes. Set chicken aside on a plate. It will finish cooking later.
6. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and shallot for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add orzo, rosemary, and lemon zest. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce to a simmer and cover until the stock has been absorbed by the orzo, about 12-15 minutes.
9. Stir in spinach and lemon juice a little at a time until wilted.
10. Add chicken skin side up and bake until chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy about 5-7 minutes.
11. Sprinkle with cheese and red pepper flakes and garnish with sliced lemon, rosemary, and parsley.
Recipe Source: Lodge Cast Iron
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