One of the things I love about the weather turning colder (still waiting for that to happen here in Arizona) is the way life seems to slow down a bit. There’s seems to be an unspoken permission to take your time, be a little more intentional, and do all things for the sake of staying warm and cozy… Light a candle, wear your slippers, bake cookies.
How about making something on the stovetop that requires a little simmering. Enjoy the layering of flavors and the magic that happens when we don’t rush things. That’s what this Rustic Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Orzo is all about!
There’s nothing like a good Dutch oven to make all things cozy on the stovetop and in the oven! I love sharing my favorite things with you all, and I’m so excited to be partnering with Le Creuset to give away this beautifully crafted 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven.
It’s definitely my go-to for cooking soups, stews, chili’s, and anything I want to sear on the stovetop and then finish off in the oven. The enamel covered cast iron cooks evenly and retains heat so well. It also cleans up like a dream and I love how it looks so much I usually just let it hang out on the stovetop even when I’m not using it.
How to Enter the Le Creuset Giveaway
If you’d love to win a Le Creuset Dutch Oven, head on over to Instagram and enter the giveaway. I hope you win, and even if you don’t, Christmas is coming and you might want to add it to your wish list.
So let’s slow down and enjoy the change of pace this season. At least before our holiday to-do lists show up and tell us otherwise!
PrintRustic Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Orzo
This rustic lemon rosemary chicken dish with orzo, white beans and vegetables comes together with layers of flavor in one Dutch oven in about an hour.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 5 bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
- 1 lemon, sliced
- additional fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- In a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven, melt butter and oil over medium high heat. Season both sides of the trimmed, dry chicken thighs with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, sear the chicken in two batches until both sides are nicely browned.
- Remove the chicken from the pan to a separate plate, and drain the excess oil from the pan, reserving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.
- Add chopped onions, sautéing until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Then add carrots, celery, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté 2-3 more minutes and then add chicken broth, scraping the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Add the beans and orzo to the broth, and bring to a boil. Then add the chicken back to the Dutch oven, top with lemon slices, and reduce heat to low so that broth is gently simmering. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F) and orzo is tender. Taste the broth for seasoning and add salt if needed.
- Place each chicken thigh in a shallow bowl, and ladle a portion of the beans, orzo, veggies and broth in each bowl. Garnish with rosemary and lemon slices if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 533
- Sugar: 5.1g
- Sodium: 898mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 7.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 6.9g
- Protein: 41g
- Cholesterol: 174mg
Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Le Creuset. I was also given a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven for my own use.
lemon and chicken sounds just fine. this is looking amazing. looking forward to try this tonight.
I have a 4 1/2 at chefs oven. How would you modify the ingredients?
This recipe is fantastic. I made it for the second time tonight since the first time went so well. This time I used boneless skinless thighs and added a chopped tomato a couple minutes before adding the broth. I think the thighs worked even better, and the tomato added a savory tang, although it downplays the lemon a bit.
I have a 4.5 qt Le Creuset dutch oven, and this is the first recipe I tried. Just 4 chicken thighs and I estimated the amount of the other ingredients by eye. Unfortunately no fresh rosemary and no orzo. Instead I used a cupful of Fusilla Casaratina (?) or small pasta. Turned out great! I would have shortened the cooking time before adding the thighs back into the mixture because they measured 170 degrees. Great left over too!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Joyce!
Can you make this recipe in the crockpot?
Good question… I think it would taste best with a good sear on the chicken thighs with high heat, rather than low. The fat needs to render out, and I find that pasta (like orzo) can be gummy when cooked in the crockpot.
I dislike dark meat, would this work with bone in breasts?