Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo

★★★★☆
Prep: 35 mins Cook: 1 hr 40 mins Serves: 4-6 Source: Nigella Lawson / Food & Wine / Cook, Eat, Repeat

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
  • 3 fat garlic cloves
  • 2 medium carrots (about 10 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (14.8 ml)
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 teaspoons dried tarragon or thyme (9.9 ml)
  • 5 cups sliced leeks, from 2 medium leeks (white parts only) (1183 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt (9.9 ml)
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) (2.5 ml)
  • 6 cups cold water (1420 ml)
  • 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta (355 ml)
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, plus more for serving (78.9 ml)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Let chicken stand at room temperature 40 minutes. Heat oven to 350°F. Peel garlic. Peel and cut carrots into sticks.
  2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear chicken breast-side down until golden, 3-5 minutes. Turn breast-side up.
  3. Off heat, grate lemon zest around chicken. Grate garlic, add tarragon; stir.
  4. Scatter leeks and carrots around chicken. Add salt and pepper flakes. Squeeze in lemon juice. Pour in cold water (covering all but top of breast).
  5. Bring to boil, cover with lid, transfer to oven. Cook 1 hour 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and carrots are soft.
  6. Remove from oven. Add orzo around chicken, pushing under liquid. Cover, return to oven 15 minutes.
  7. Let stand covered 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Pull chicken apart with forks, removing bones and skin.
  8. Stir and ladle into bowls. Offer Parmesan to grate over.
Wine Pairing: Medium White (Chardonnay) — Rich one-pot chicken with lemony orzo
Nigella Lawson / Food & Wine / Cook, Eat, Repeat · Contemporary
chicken, one-pot, orzo, lemon, dutch oven, comfort food