One Pot “Marry Me Chicken” Orzo

A recipe including the viral “Marry Me Chicken”? Groundbreaking..

Sometimes things get hyped up on the internet for all the wrong reasons. Other times, they get hyped up because they deserve to be. This is the latter.

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Ingredients (serves 4)

Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 15-20 mins

• 4 boneless & skinless chicken thigh fillets

• 1 bulb garlic

• 300g dried orzo

• Smoked paprika

• Oregano

• Chilli flakes

• 1 jar sundried tomatoes (~90g drained weight)

• 600ml hot chicken stock

• 100ml single cream

• Large handful baby spinach

• 40g grated parmesan

• Juice from 1 lemon

• Fresh basil

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Equipment required

• Roasting tins/tray (only if roasting the garlic)

• Tin foil (only if roasting the garlic)

• Wide pan/casserole dish

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Method

Note: this first step is optional. Roasted garlic has a different flavour and it adds a lovely taste to the dish. However, if you don’t have time for this step, just add 3 minced garlic cloves when you add the sundried tomatoes.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lay a piece of tin foil over a roasting tin/tray. Chop the top off of the bulb of garlic and lay it on the tinfoil. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil over the garlic and season with a pinch of salt & a grind of black pepper. Loosely wrap the whole bulb in the tin foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, you should be able to squeeze the roasted garlic from the papery shell - it’ll come out like a thick paste. Set aside and discard the skins.

2. Cut the chicken thighs into quarters. Add to a mixing bowl, along with salt, pepper, 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp oregano and half a teaspoon of chilli flakes. Mix well and leave to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before cooking. Drain the sundried tomatoes and roughly chop.

3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large wide based pan or hob-friendly casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for ~3 minutes on each side to sear. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

4. Add the garlic, sundried tomatoes and a further tsp of both paprika & oregano to the pan with a dash more oil if required. Fry for a couple of minutes, until nice and fragrant. Add the dried orzo and fry for a further minute, until glossy.

5. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for ~10-12 minutes, stirring regularly, until the orzo has absorbed the liquid and the chicken is cooked through.

6. Reduce the heat further and add the spinach & cream. Stir through for a couple of minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the cream is warm but not overheating.

7. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan & lemon juice. Serve up and garnish with fresh basil and await your big ol’ fancy engagement ring ;)