Chicken and Orzo Bake

Our tex-mex inspired Chicken and Orzo Bake has all of the nostalgia of casseroles of the past with the updated nuances of the present. Jalapeño, cilantro and lime-infused orzo is nestled beneath a bed of crispy blackened chicken and cooked until the orzo is tender and creamy and the chicken is cooked through. We finish it off with a generous sprinkle of cotija cheese, fresh lime juice and as much cilantro as your heart desires. The perfect one-pot wonder.

Chicken and Orzo Bake

If you’re anything like me hearing the phrase chicken and rice immediately conjures up a fictitious scene of a 1960s family sitting down at the dinner table surrounded by a casserole dish. Said dish is brimming with cream of chicken-laced white rice, bite-sized chicken breasts and gobs of processed cheese. We’ve come along way since the days of cream of, well everything, and while updated chicken and rice recipes are out there, the new kid on the block seems to be a bit more elevated with orzo in place of rice. Instead of plain chicken tenders or worse, canned chicken, we’re replacing it with chicken thighs, bone-in breasts or drumsticks (whatever your preference is). Elevated comfort is what I’m deeming it and the flavor combinations are endless.

While I’ve seen a multitude of chicken and orzo recipes across the Internet, our version is unique to the past and present. With forward flavors of jalapeño, cilantro and lime, our one pan wonder has all of the essential flavors of a classic tex mex dish but in the nostalgic package of…chicken and rice.

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Similar to our Poblano Chicken, we take roasted jalapeños peppers (instead of poblanos) and pulverize them along with a handful of garlic, cilantro and chicken and stock. We slow cook the mixture with cute orzo pasta until it’s tender and cooked through before finishing it off with a generous dousing of lime, honey and Greek yogurt.

The chicken while simple, is just as flavorful with a smoky rub of cumin, smoked paprika and garlic. It’s pan-seared until nearly blackened and then left to cook with the orzo in the oven. It’s simple but pretty exciting for a weeknight-worthy meal.

Let’s get started!

Ingredients

Chicken. You can use any kind of chicken here. I highly recommend bone-in chicken if you are going with a breast as to not dry out the meat. My boys had a moment with drumsticks so I threw them in here, they have since eradicated them from their diet. Bone-in chicken thighs or boneless chicken thighs will be the most forgiving and cook the quickest.

Spices. We keep things flavorful but simple with smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. It’s almost a blackening season which reflects when you sear the chicken.

Jalapeno. Instead of chopping the jalapeno into peices, I really wanted the jalapeno to permeate the entirety of the orzo. To do this we roast it and puree with the other ingredients.

Cilantro. The orzo itself is infused with cilantro and we garnish with plenty as well. It’s a must!

Onion +Garlic. Self explanatory.

Orzo. You can use regular or whole-wheat orzo here. I tend to like whole-wheat orzo if I’m using chicken breasts as it takes longer to cook.

Tequila. I love using tequila to deglaze the pans of tex-mex dishes instead of wine or chicken stock. Mezcal would also be fabulous.

Chicken stock. Low sodium!

The finishing touches. Honey for sweetness and balance, lime juice for a pop of acidity and Greek yogurt for creaminess and extra protein.

Let’s make a Chicken and Orzo Bake

Sear the chicken. Mix salt, cumin and paprika together in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken. Heat a lcast iron skillet to a medium-high heat. Drizzle the bottom of the skillet with olive oil. Sear the chicken skin-side down first until crispy and golden brown. Flip the chicken and. brown on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan when it’s crisp and brown all over.

Roast the jalapeño. While the chicken sears, roast the jalapeño over an open flame on your stove. If you do not have a gas stove, you can broil the jalapeño. Roast the jalapeño until charred on all sides. Remove the skin and seeds.

Toast the orzo. After removing the chicken from the skillet, reduce the heat to medium. Add the orzo. Cook the orzo until it is toasty and started to brown. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour the tequila into the pan, use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan and scrape up any brown bits accumulated from the chicken and the veggies. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the tequila has reduced by half.

Puree the orzo cooking liquid. Add the jalapeño, 1 cup chicken stock and cilantro to a blender. Blend until smooth.

Bring it to a simmer. Pour in the jalapeño chicken stock mixture, remaining cup of chicken stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken back to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven.

Bake. Bake until the orzo is cooked through, the liquid has evaporated and the chicken has reached 165 degrees with an instant read thermometer. This should take about 25 minutes.

Finish her off. Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the Greek yogurt, lime juice and honey to the orzo. Use a fork to fluff and combine the orzo with the yogurt, lime juice and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Nestle the chicken back on top along with any accumulated juices. Sprinkle with cheese, lots of fresh cilantro and fresh jalapeno.

Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• Don’t worry if your chicken looks burnt, it’s just the blackening seasoning. This is good!
• Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to the right temperature. 165 degrees is fully cooked.
• Do not stir in the low-fat Greek yogurt until after the pan comes out of the oven. You risk the yogurt curdling if you put it in before.
• The honey and lime juice are to taste so taste and see if it needs more than we call for.
• If you are using breasts, be sure to cut each breast in half! This will cook faster and create smaller portions.

Can you make Chicken and Orzo in Advance?

If you use chicken thighs, I would say YES. Slightly undercook the orzo and then reheat everything in the oven at 375 degrees. The last minute or so of cooking, broil the chicken until the skin is crisp again.

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