Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies

This is about to change the way you see the world. Your future. YOURSELF.

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

First of all, you know how we feel about one-pot dishes. Well this is like, the Godfather of one-pot. Let us unleash the praises. (no horse heads were hurt in the writing of that paragraph.)

Secondly, it has a bit of bone-in meat in it. Which I feel gives it more of a rustic edge to it. A bit caveman! A bit Renaissance (<-I’m not going to tell you how many times it took to get that right) fair!

Actually, where do you stand with bone-in meat? Are you ALL IN LIKE GWEN or super icked out?

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

I totally dig it, in certain contexts. Like this ^^ context. I’ll get in that.

Actually, I’m trying to think of when I don’t care for bone-in meat, and I’m coming up blank. So never mind. I like it all the time.

Wait! I just thought of a time when I want to punch bone-in meat in the face. (are you over me saying the words “bone-in?”) It’s when you think you’ve bought a regular chicken breast that you want to sear, and you discover it’s bone-in. What a bloody PAIN. Navigating around all that bone (I’ll stop soon) can really make or break a situation.

But I love buffalo wings. With ranch. And to dip the carrots in the ranch, too!

Wait, what was I saying?

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

Right.

This. This is LIFE on a weeknight. It takes about half an hour, 45 tops to get on the table. The flavors are simple, but crazy comforting and fresh.

So, after you sear the BONE-IN DRUMSTICKS (can you imagine a drumstick with a bone? How disgusting would that be? I want to hurl on myself right now.) and chicken thighs (not bone-in!), you’ll add one sliced, yellow squash to the pan. And toss that around for a minute or so.

Also, everything is spraaankled with some basic Italian seasoning. Which is just dried herbs. There are a kabillion brands. Dew eet.

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

Theeeen you’ll add some broccolette, which some call Chinese broccoli. Others call it Broccolini. It’s basically broccoli, stretched out and prettier. You’ll add that, and a truck load of orzo and stock to the pan. Let her simmer and bubble and reduce and come alive and sing to you. (Stir it from time to time, just to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick, natch.)

After a pat or two (hundred) of butter, some freshly grated parmesan cheese, freshly minced parsley (roughly torn sprigs are boss, too.), and a few lemon spritzes, you’ll get this life-altering meal.

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

Guuuuh.

DELISH. Stupid good. The chicken is ridic tender and beautifully flavored from the stock, butter and parm. The orzo is perfection. The veggies are soft, but not mush. Your face is falling off your head right about now. This is your moment.

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

And then when you add fresh lemon juice right at the end because you know the right decisions in this life? Geeeeewd grief.

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

GODFATHER OF ONE-POT, I tell you.

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies
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Ingredients

  • 22 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 5 chicken drumsticks (I removed the skin for these. Do so if you want!)
  • 2 Tbs. dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow squash, sliced
  • 1 package broccolette (broccoli works here, too)
  • 1 1/2 cups dried orzo
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
  • a handful of chopped parsley
  • one lemon
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large skillet. Season with chicken with the Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt. Sear in the pan on one side for 4 minutes. Flip and sear another 4. Add the sliced yellow squash and sauté another minute.
  2. To the pan, add the broccolette, the dried orzo and the stock. Stir it all around to coat. Simmer on medium for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick. Once the orzo is al dente, there’s no more liquid in the pan, and the veggies are tender, turn off the heat. Add the butter and parmesan. Give it one more stir, getting it good and creamy, where you can’t feel your face.
  3. Garnish with more cheese, the parsley and a few good spritzes of lemon juice. Serve immediately and faint into your plate.
  4. Serves 4-6.
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https://bevcooks.com/2016/09/skillet-chicken-orzo-veggies/

Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies / Bev Cooks

I want bone-in chicken for the rest of my life.

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14 Responses to Skillet Chicken with Orzo and Veggies

  1. Jo September 27, 2016 at 8:14 am #
    I'll have to put this on my list. Last night I made your Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Kale and Italian Sausage and it was absolutely delish! It took almost no time to make and we just loved it. I have a friend staying for the week (we are quilting!) and I'm making 2 or 3 recipes of yours this week. Can't wait for #2.
    • Bev Weidner September 28, 2016 at 7:33 am #
      Ohhhhh well thank you, Jo! You've seriously made my day. :)
  2. Nicole September 27, 2016 at 11:08 am #
    Hey Bev! This looks so yum. Is it better to make this in a normal pan/skillet or should you use a skillet like the Lodge brand? Thanks!
    • Bev Weidner September 28, 2016 at 7:32 am #
      Hey, Nicole! You could really use any pan you like! I'm not sure if the Lodge skillet would stick or not. Mine was a large nonstick Calphalon, and it worked. Anything goes!
  3. Stefanie September 29, 2016 at 8:29 pm #
    I made this tonight and absolutely loved the favors!! My only problem was that there was far too much liquid, so I felt as if the veggies got overdone while I waited for the broth to be gone. Cannot figure out what went wrong! Maybe it's because I used while wheat orzo? Weird. Anyway, it was still fantastic and I'll make it again with less broth!
    • Stefanie September 29, 2016 at 8:30 pm #
      That would be "whole wheat orzo" ?
    • Bev Weidner September 30, 2016 at 5:50 am #
      Oh no! Hmmmm. I don't feel like whole wheat orzo would change anything. If anything, the cooking time might be a little longer, giving the broth more time to soak in/steam off. So that theory's out the window. Did you have the lid off the whole time? I think I did, and would stir stir, making sure the orzo was cooking and not sticking. I'm really not sure! The 4 cups worked perfectly for me, so I wish I had more to offer! I'm so sorry. I do hope you try it again! SO glad you loved the flavors. :)
      • Stefanie September 30, 2016 at 7:15 am #
        Oh no worries! I did have the lid off for the first 15 minutes, but then put it on thinking maybe it would help! That being said, I cannot wait for my lunch leftovers. I guarded it from my husband, so I get it all to myself ? it's so simple and fresh tasting with the addition of the lemon. I'll be making it again to try to figure out what went wrong!
        • Stefanie September 30, 2016 at 7:45 am #
          Oh, and I added fresh spinach at the end and that was a very good idea ?
  4. Lizzy October 3, 2016 at 9:36 pm #
    Made this today, and it's so legit. Yum!!!
  5. Racheal October 6, 2016 at 6:02 am #
    I made this last night for dinner (used rice instead of orzo and added mushrooms) and it was delicious! Thanks for a great week night recipe! <3
  6. Shannon Bono October 10, 2016 at 6:11 pm #
    Hi! Made this tonight and it got the approval of a pretty picky 5 year old...thanks!!
  7. Jessica January 19, 2017 at 3:09 pm #
    4 cups of broth was far too much liquid. I let it boil for half an hour and there was still way too much left and by then the vegetables were getting mushy and the pasta was far from al dente. Does it really all boil off for you in only 10 minutes?

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