One Pot Stuffed Chicken with Lemony Orzo
One pot stuffed chicken and lemony orzo is a delicious & very forgiving family dinner. Serve alongside your favorite veggie or winter salad.
Servings: 0
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs (a mix of thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, etc.) See notes
- 4 boneless chicken cutlets, thick cut and butterflied
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 slices Gruyere cheese (from a chunk), sliced 1/4-inch (0.63-cm) thick
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 ½ cups orzo
- 3 cups chicken broth
- juice of 1 lemon thinly slice the squeezed lemon or thinly slice half of another lemon as garnish (both are optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (204 C). Take a minute to gather and prepare all of your ingredients.
- Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil together with the dried Italian seasonings. Stir well. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken dry on both sides (note that the chicken can be stuffed the night before, covered and refrigerated, for convenience). Using a sharp knife, gently butterfly each cutlet lengthwise through the middle, stopping just before reaching the other side, essentially you’ll want the chicken to open like a book. Your butcher can do this for you.
- Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly brush the inside with the herb and oil mixture. Stuff with cheese, by placing two pieces of cheese on one side of the chicken, folding the other side of the chicken over so that the cheese is in the middle, making sure to tuck-in the slices of cheese if they’re sticking out. Lightly brush the top of the chicken with the herb and oil mixture. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets in the same manner.
- In a large 12-15 inch (30 to 33-cm) oven-safe skillet with deep sides, add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot and shimmery, add the chicken cutlets. Cook 6-7 minutes on both sides, until golden brown but still under-cooked. It’s fine if some cheese seeps out as it melts, don’t worry about it too much. Transfer the chicken to a separate plate and set aside.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper – deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan, stir and mix them in (lots of flavor there!). Add the orzo, peas and capers to the skillet and stir well to mix.
- Nestle the chicken back into the skillet, add the lemon slices if using, and place the skillet into the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the orzo is cooked through.
- It is not uncommon to have a layer of broth over the orzo when done, the amount will depend on the juices rendered from the chicken and the brand of pasta used. While the excess liquid will help to keep the pasta silky, you’ll need to help facilitate the absorption by carefully removing the chicken to a plate to give the orzo a good stir, paying mind to the sides of the skillet, and then gently nestle the chicken back in. Let everything rest for about 5 minutes. Resting will give the chicken a chance to redistribute its juices, and for the pasta to absorb a bit more of the liquid. The pasta should be loose and silky when serving, fluff with a fork if needed. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to thicken as it sits.
Notes
This recipe is very forgiving. The only thing you will have to keep in mind is the ratio of pasta to liquid. 1 and 1/2 cups (680 g) of orzo and 3 cups (720 ml) of liquid works best. Adding more orzo will also add more starch – remember you’re not draining the orzo after it’s been cooked, so too much starch will result in a pasty result.
For convenience, the chicken can be stuffed the night before (or earlier in the day) and stored in an oiled baking dish wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Don’t forget to take the chill off the chicken before cooking by letting it sit out room temperature for at least 20 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Consider adding lemon slices to the pan when the garlic is added so they can pickup some of the brown bits and lightly caramelize.