14 hours Ago By Sophie Harris
Nigella Lawson has shared a plethora of recipes throughout her career, both sweet and savoury. The chef has also shared a variety of one-pot dinners for busy families, including this chicken with lemon and orzo. One-pot dinners are super convenient for midweek as they require less washing up.
The recipe notes said: “A family favourite, this is a simple one-pot dish which brings comfort and joy, and it is my pleasure to share that with you.” The meal serves four to six people and is ready from start to finish in under two hours. One whole chicken One tablespoon of olive oil Two lemons, zest and juice Three garlic cloves, grated Two teaspoons of dried tarragon Two medium carrots peeled and cut into batons Two medium leeks, cut into 2cm rounds Two teaspoons of sea salt flakes Half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes 300g orzo Six tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley Freshly grated Parmesan, optional Preheat the oven to 180C or 160C Fan, and then heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish with a tightly fitting lid.
Place the chicken in the hot oil, breast-side down and cook for three to five minutes over high heat, then turn the chicken the right way up. Take the pan off the heat and grate in the lemon zest, garlic, and tarragon, stirring it quickly into the oil. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken, followed by the salt and chilli flakes and squeeze in the juice from the lemons.
Pour in 1.5 litres of cold water and put back on high heat, bringing it to a boil. Once bubbling, clamp on the lid and transfer to the oven to cook for one and a quarter hours.
Take the pot out of the oven and add the orzo all around the chicken, pushing it under the liquid and giving it a stir. Put the lid back on and return the casserole dish to the oven for another 15 minutes, after which the orzo will be soft. Remove from the oven and let the casserole stand, uncovered, for 15 minutes before serving.
The orzo will continue to soak the broth up as it stands. Stir in four tablespoons of the parsley, and then sprinkle over a little more. Place a dish by the casserole and then pull the chicken gently apart with a couple of forks.
Stir the chicken and orzo again before placing them into bowls; you may want to sprinkle some parmesan over them..
