Ingredients
Equipment
Nutrition
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken, covering all sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven [2] or large, oven-proof stockpot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken thighs on all sides for about five minutes. When browned, remove from the pan.8 Chicken Thighs,, 1 ½ teaspoons Salt, 1 teaspoon black Pepper
- Add the orzo to the pot, stir, letting it toast in the chicken fat until it begins to turn lightly golden in color. Once toasted, add the chicken broth, stirring to deglaze, and remove any browned or stuck-on bits from the pot. Immediately add the garlic, lemon wedges, lemon juice, olives, bay leaf, and half of the oregano, stirring lightly to combine. Lastly, return the chicken to the pot, arranging it in the orzo mixture to not crowd the chicken. Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken meat is firm and chicken juices run clear.2 tablespoons Olive Oil, 1 ½ cups gluten-free Orzo pasta, 3 cups low sodium Chicken Broth,, 1 large Garlic clove,, 1 small Lemon, 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed Lemon Juice, ¾ cup Kalamata Olives, 1 large Bay Leaf, 3 tablespoons fresh Oregano,
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary; sprinkle with the remaining oregano before serving.
Kitchen Notes
This recipe can easily be doubled and made with chicken legs. We suggest using a good-quality chicken broth; homemade chicken stock is even better!
Footnotes:
[1] You’ll want to choose a Dutch oven or oven-proof stockpot with enough surface area not to crowd the chicken in the orzo when combined.
[2] Or substitute with three teaspoons of dried oregano.
To Ensure Your Recipe Success:
To Ensure Your Recipe Success:
- Choose a heavy Dutch oven or large, oven-proof stockpot with enough surface area to prevent the chicken from being crowded when arranged in the orzo.
- You can easily substitute chicken legs if you don’t have chicken thighs.
- Toast the orzo in the chicken fat until golden brown.
- Use good-quality chicken broth; homemade chicken stock is even better!
- Deglaze the pot with the chicken broth before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Deseed the lemon.
- If you don’t have fresh oregano, substitute dried oregano. Use three teaspoons of dried oregano for each (one) tablespoon of fresh oregano called for in the recipe.
Personal Notes
Tried this recipe?
Please consider Leaving a Review!This recipe may contain affiliate links. For more information, visit our Affiliate Disclosure.
