Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo

This simple lemon orzo chicken dinner is one of Nigella Lawson’s favorite meals to cook at home.

Active Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 15 mins

Yield:

4 to 6 servings

This is not exactly the same as perhaps the most precious recipe in my repertoire, My Mother’s Praised Chicken, which found a home in my eighth book, Kitchen, but it owes a lot to it. A family favorite, it’s a simple one-pot dish that brings comfort and joy, and it is my pleasure to share that with you. It’s not in the spirit of things to be utterly speciﬁc with this kind of cooking: If you’re feeding small children, for example, you may not want to add the red pepper ﬂakes. Similarly, you may want to use just one lemon, rather than the two I like. Your chicken may weigh more or less; the ones I get tend to be around 3½ pounds. And although I have speciﬁed the Dutch oven I always use — an enameled cast-iron oval Dutch oven 12 inches long, in which the chicken fits neatly, leaving just a small space all around it to fit the vegetables later — you obviously will use the one you have, which will make a difference to how quickly everything cooks, how much evaporation there will be, and so on.

Don’t let these things trouble you unduly; lemon orzo chicken is a very forgiving dish. It doesn’t rely on precision timing: The chicken, leeks, and carrots are meant to be soft, and I even like it when the orzo is cooked far beyond the timing speciﬁed on the package. It’s also open to variation, owing to what’s in your kitchen. I could go on, but there is no need to add complications. This is a simple recipe that brings deep contentment.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
3 fat garlic cloves
2 medium carrots (about 10 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lemons
2 teaspoons dried tarragon or thyme
5 cups sliced leeks, from 2 medium leeks, white parts only
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt, or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
6 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, plus more for serving
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Directions

Gather the ingredients.
Untruss chicken, if it comes trussed, and remove string. If time allows, let it stand out on a board for 40 minutes or so. Heat oven to 350°F.Peel garlic cloves. Peel and cut carrots into three lengths across, and then into sticks.
Heat oil in a large heavy Dutch oven with a tightly fitting lid over high heat. Place chicken in hot oil breast side down and sear until skin is richly golden; 3 to 5 minutes. Turn chicken over so breast side is up.
Take Dutch oven off heat and, aiming for the space around the chicken, finely grate in zest from lemons. Grate garlic around chicken (obviously some can end up on the chicken itself), add dried tarragon, and give a quick stir in oil as best you can.
Scatter vegetables around chicken, followed by salt and red pepper flakes (if using). Squeeze in juice from your zested lemons.
Pour in cold water — covering all but the very top of the breast — and put Dutch oven back on high heat to bring to a boil.
Once it’s bubbling, cover with lid and carefully transfer to oven. Cook chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then check to make sure chicken is all but cooked through and carrots are soft.
Remove pot from oven and add orzo all around chicken, pushing it under liquid and stirring as best you can manage in the restricted space. Cover pot with lid and return to oven. Cook until orzo is soft and swollen, about 15 minutes.
Remove Dutch oven from oven and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes before serving; orzo will continue to soak up broth as it stands.
While orzo finishes, chop parsley. Stir in ¼ cup, then sprinkle over a little more. You could shred the chicken now, but it looks so wonderful in its pot I like to bring it to the table whole.
Place a dish by the Dutch oven, then pull chicken gently apart with a couple of forks, removing any bones and skin that come loose. (For me, these bits are a particular treat: I live for the cartilage.) I find it easiest to do this while the chicken’s still in the pot but, if you prefer, you can try to remove it to a cutting board; go carefully as it’s likely to fall to pieces a bit as you do so.
Stir chicken and orzo again and ladle into bowls, sprinkling with parsley as you go. You may also want to offer Parmesan to grate over: I prefer it without, but there is a strong pro-Parmesan contingent in my house.

Tips for Success

For Crispy Skin: If you prefer ultra-crispy chicken skin, finish the seared thighs in the oven under the broiler while the orzo cooks.
Use Fresh Herbs: Fresh thyme or oregano can replace dried thyme for a more vibrant flavor.
Lemon Adjustments: Add more or less lemon juice depending on your preferred level of tanginess.

Serving Suggestions

Pair this dish with a side of roasted vegetables, a crisp green salad, or a crusty loaf of bread to soak up the flavorful broth. For a lighter option, serve alongside steamed green beans or asparagus.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo delivers comfort food with a sophisticated twist. The tender chicken thighs and the creamy, lemony orzo combine for a meal that’s both hearty and refreshing. Easy to make and packed with flavor, it’s a dish you’ll turn to again and again.

Conclusion

Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo is the perfect recipe to add to your repertoire. Whether you’re cooking for your family or hosting a dinner party, this one-pot wonder promises to delight. Try it today and enjoy a dish that’s as comforting as it is delicious!