This one-pan recipe is packed with bright flavours, like lemon, garlic, and rosemary, and can be prepped and plated in under an hour. It’s a fresh, comforting meal that tastes impressive while being low-effort enough to add to your weeknight rotation.
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 shallot, sliced thinly
- 1 cup orzo
- 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 chilli flakes, for garnish
- Parsley, for garnish
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to 200° C.
- Heat a 30cm skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
- Season chicken on all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add oil and sear chicken skin side down until skin is golden brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes.
- Flip chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes. Set chicken aside on a plate. It will finish cooking later.
- Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and shallot for 1-2 minutes.
- Add orzo, rosemary, and lemon zest. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cover until the stock has been absorbed by the orzo, about 12-15 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and lemon juice a little at a time until wilted.
- Add chicken skin side up and bake until chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy about 5-7 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese and red chilli flakes and garnish with sliced lemon rosemary and parsley.