Description
One Pot Chicken Risoni is a comforting and flavorful baked dish combining tender marinated chicken thighs with vegetables, aromatic herbs, and orzo pasta cooked in a savory tomato and chicken broth sauce. Finished with tangy lemon juice and crumbled feta cheese, this hearty one-pan meal is perfect for an easy yet impressive family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinated Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, cut into 2 cm / 1″ pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Main Dish
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium zucchini (or 1 large), cut into 1 cm / 1/3″ cubes
- 1 red bell pepper/capsicum, cut into 1 cm / 1/3″ cubes
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth/stock
- 14 oz / 400g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups orzo/risoni
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 1 Australian punnet)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (for drizzling at the end)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Greek feta cheese, crumbled
- Fresh oregano leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces with minced garlic, dried oregano, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes. For best flavor, marinate overnight if possible.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) to prepare for baking the dish later.
- Brown chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet or pot over high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook until lightly browned on the outside but still pink inside. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil along with minced garlic and chopped onion. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cubed zucchini and red bell pepper, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the orzo, dried oregano, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Add chicken and cherry tomatoes: Scatter the browned chicken pieces and whole cherry tomatoes evenly over the surface of the mixture. Do not stir them in.
- Bake the dish: Once the liquid starts to simmer, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven (uncovered). Bake for 15 minutes or until the orzo is tender but still has a slight bite. It is normal for some liquid to remain on the surface.
- Finish and serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Top with crumbled feta cheese and optional fresh oregano leaves. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- For best marination results and deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast if preferred, but thighs provide more moisture and flavor.
- An oven-proof skillet or pot is necessary for seamless stovetop-to-oven cooking.
- If you don’t have orzo/risoni, you can substitute with other small pasta shapes but adjust cooking time accordingly.
- This dish has some remaining liquid after baking, which keeps the orzo moist and flavorful.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control the salt content.
