Chicken with Orzo, Corn, & Goat Cheese from Every Day with Babs
Orzo pasta is often confused with rice because it looks like extra-large rice grains. Whenever I make this recipe for my grandchildren, the littlest ones call it “chicken with the big rice.” Orzo is good, but orzo cooked in rendered chicken fat and chicken broth is better. Here, each bite of orzo is sweet and spicy from the corn and red pepper flakes. A crumble of goat cheese on top provides salty and gooey bites. I know it may seem like a lot of chicken broth, but you’ll need it to make the orzo saucy and brothy for soft, cozy bites.
Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs), patted dry
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (8 ounces) orzo
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen corn (no need to thaw)
1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces herbed goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Season the chicken thighs all over with 1 teaspoon salt. Drizzle the olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet, then add the thighs, skin side down, and set over medium-high heat. Once sizzling, cook the thighs until golden and the pieces release easily from the skillet, 4 to 10 minutes per side (the first side will take longer). Transfer the chicken to a plate skin side up (it won’t be cooked through yet).
3. Reduce the heat to medium and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat. Add the orzo, shallots, garlic, 1 pinch of the pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until the orzo is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and corn, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Once simmering, nestle the chicken on top, skin side up. Transfer to the oven and bake until the orzo is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 13 to 17 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining pinch of pepper flakes. When the chicken is done, top with the tomatoes and crumble on the goat cheese. Let sit for a few minutes, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.
BABS SAYS
Frozen corn is consistently delicious because it is flash-frozen and packaged at peak of season. It’s actually better to use frozen in this recipe than fresh because the extra moisture makes the dish saucier! Plus, frozen couldn’t be easier.
Chicken broth stays good in the refridge for only a couple of days after being opened, so pop it in the freezer if you’re not planning on using it right away.
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Every Day with Babs
Barbara Costello
Everybody’s favorite grandmother is here to answer the age-old question "What's for dinner?" with 101 tried-and-true recipes, plus genius tips and tricks that make getting dinner on the table even easier every night of the week.
