Description
Crispy herb-butter chicken with creamy orzo all in one pan? This dinner hero delivers maximum flavor with minimum effort for those nights when you deserve something special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs/900g)
- 1½ cups (300g) uncooked orzo pasta
- 2½ cups (600ml) chicken broth
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (combination of rosemary, thyme, sage), finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for chicken
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Combine softened butter with minced garlic, chopped herbs, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl until well mixed.
- Pat chicken thighs dry, season with salt and pepper, and carefully stuff ¾ of the herb butter under the skin of each thigh.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In an oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onions until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add dry orzo to the skillet and toast for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden, stirring frequently.
- Pour chicken broth into the skillet, add cherry tomatoes, remaining salt and pepper, and dot with remaining herb butter.
- Arrange chicken thighs on top of orzo mixture, skin side up, ensuring they don’t overlap.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until chicken skin is crispy and golden, chicken reaches 165°F internally, and orzo has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve directly from the skillet.