This is about to change the way you see the world. Your future. YOURSELF.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
And then when you add fresh lemon juice right at the end because you know the right decisions in this life? Geeeeewd grief.
GODFATHER OF ONE-POT, I tell you.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Garnish with more cheese, the parsley and a few good spritzes of lemon juice. Serve immediately and faint into your plate.
- Serves 4-6.
I want bone-in chicken for the rest of my life.
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