Lemon Pepper Chicken with Orzo

Instructions

1. 1.

   Blot the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel to help the seasoning stick and promote browning.

2. 2.

   Season both sides of each thigh liberally with lemon pepper seasoning (about 2 Tbsp total).

3. 3.

   Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil.

4. 4.

   Add the seasoned chicken thighs, skin side down, and allow them to cook undisturbed until browned (about 6-8 minutes for bone-in skin-on thighs).

5. 5.

   Flip the chicken thighs and cook until browned on the second side. The chicken will be cooked most of the way through at this point but will finish cooking when simmered with the orzo. Remove the chicken to a clean plate.

6. 6.

   While the chicken is browning, roughly chop about 1/4 bunch of parsley and mince the garlic.

7. 7.

   After removing the chicken from the skillet, turn the heat down to low, add the minced garlic, and sauté the garlic in the residual fat for about a minute.

8. 8.

   Add 2 cups of chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The broth will turn a deep brown color as you dissolve the drippings.

9. 9.

   Add about half of the chopped parsley and 1.5 cups of orzo. Stir to combine.

10. 10.

    Finally, return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to high, and let the broth come to a full boil.

11. 11.

    Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low. Allow the skillet to simmer on low for about 15 minutes, or until most of the broth has been absorbed. Make sure it’s simmering the whole time—if it stops, increase the heat slightly until it just starts to simmer again.

12. 12.

    After about 15 minutes, the orzo should be tender and most of the broth absorbed, but there will still be a little sauce in the skillet.

13. 13.

    Fluff the orzo around the chicken a bit with a fork, then top with the remaining parsley and the crumbled feta. Serve and enjoy!

Misc.

Notes

• It is preferred to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for better flavor, but boneless and skinless can be substituted if desired. Boneless will cook faster and may lose some flavor.

• For additional variation, frozen peas or cream cheese can be added.