Description
Turn weeknight dinner into a celebration with this one-pan wonder that combines crispy chicken and creamy, cheesy orzo – it’s so good, they’ll think you spent hours in the kitchen!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2–2.5 lbs/900-1100g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup/160g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1½ cups orzo pasta (340g)
- 3 cups chicken broth (720ml)
- 3 cups broccoli florets, cut small (about 8oz/225g)
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (6oz/170g)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (1oz/28g)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 6-7 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add orzo to the skillet and stir for about 1 minute to lightly toast. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in broccoli florets, then nestle the seared chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes until orzo is tender, broccoli is bright green, and chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from heat. Temporarily remove chicken thighs. Stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheeses until melted and creamy. Return chicken to the skillet.
- If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes to re-crisp the chicken skin before serving.