Italian Chicken Orzo with Broccoli
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 50 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs
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Servings
5 servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Italian Chicken Orzo with Broccoli
Description
Italian Chicken Orzo with Broccoli features boneless chicken breasts slow-baked in a mix of mustard, thyme, garlic, lemon, and white wine, resulting in tender, flavorful meat. The orzo pasta simmers gradually in chicken broth alongside onion, garlic, and thyme, allowing it to soak up savory broth before being enriched with heavy cream, parmesan, butter, and gently folded in boiled broccoli florets. This creates a creamy, herbaceous pasta with fresh vegetable pops.
The dish blends the soft, creamy texture of orzo with the succulent chicken and the slight bite of broccoli, producing a comforting meal. The cooking method ensures the chicken remains juicy, and the final bake adds a golden touch to the meat. This recipe works well served as a filling dinner on its own or paired with a light salad or crusty bread.
To keep the broccoli crisp and green, it is added at the end of the orzo cooking process, avoiding overcooking. The chicken juices can be reserved and substituted for part of the chicken broth to boost flavor. Covering the chicken during roasting retains moisture, while finishing uncovered promotes browning for a pleasing appearance.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 chicken breast boneless and skinless
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2 tbsp thyme finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion quartered
- 100 ml white wine
- 1/2 lemon
- salt
- black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
For the orzo:
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 400 g orzo
- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
- 800 ml chicken broth
- 1 tbsp thyme finely chopped
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 100 g broccoli boiled, crowns
- 100 g parmesan
- 50 g butter frozen
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/356° F, fan. Place the chicken in an ovenproof dish, add the mustard, thyme, garlic, onion, wine, lemon, salt, pepper, olive oil and pour in water until it covers everything.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1 ½ hour. When ready, remove from the oven, remove the chicken from the juices and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake a little more, until golden and set aside until you are ready to use it.
For the orzo:
- Place a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, onion, and caramelize well for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add the orzo along with the thyme. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon so that the orzo does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Using a ladle, pour in the broth in batches. Wait for the first batch to be absorbed before pouring in the next. Repeat until all the broth is used. Once the orzo is cooked, add the heavy cream and broccoli and stir again.
- Continue cooking for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat, add the parmesan, butter, salt and pepper and mix with a wooden spoon.
- Serve the orzo hot topped with the chicken.
Notes
- Add broccoli toward the end to preserve its texture and color.
- Use the reserved chicken roasting juices to replace an equal amount of broth for deeper flavor.
- Cook chicken covered initially to retain moisture; uncover at the end to brown.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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