Serve with roasted asparagus and radishes also cooked together for convenience. We’ve all felt the pinch of time when it’s five o’clock and I haven’t even thought of what to make for dinner. One pan meals are what I often turn to or pasta dishes! This recipe for chicken legs and orzo, flavoured with garlic, onions, oregano, cinnamon stick and bay leaves, and cooked with tomatoes, is a powerhouse of a meal. What you get in the end is bold flavours, wrapped in a comfort food style dinner. It will make you feel warm and cozy but not heavy! Crispy chicken legs rest on top of the most delicious orzo mixed with red peppers and artichokes, that have been cooked in a savoury tomato sauce. I am going to be honest with you, as great as crispy skinned chicken is, my entire family thought that orzo was the best part of this dinner. We all find that orzo goes particularly well with Greek flavours. Try my Greek Baked Orzo with Meatballs or Greek Orzo Salad for more!
Recipe Tips and Notes
This not a difficult recipe to pull off but it does require you to cook it in stages. I have provided a step by step visual guide below for convenience. Since this recipe is designed to go from a stovetop to oven, it’s best to use a pan that is made for it. Ideally you should have a lid for that pan as well or you can cover it with aluminum foil. My cast iron casserole pan is what I use for such dishes.
I am using whole spices like cinnamon stick and bay leaves here to add flavour to the dish. If you can’t find cinnamon sticks you can use ½ tsp of ground cinnamon instead. I used whole chicken legs but you can replace them with thighs or drumsticks. If you want to use chicken breasts instead eliminate the first 20 minutes of cooking in step 2. I love using marinated artichokes but you can safely omit them or replace with kalamata olives for extra flavour. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the remaining liquid to be absorbed by orzo.
What to Serve with Chicken and Orzo
Since this is a one pan dinner recipe, all you will need to think about is a vegetable side dish. Here are my personal favourites. Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Lemon Garlic Green Beans or Rainbow Slaw with Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing. More Recipes Inspired Greek Flavours:
Chicken Souvlaki Recipe Greek Tzatziki Air Fryer Greek Whole Chicken Greek Orzo Salad with Grilled Zucchini
