Cedar & Ember · Main dishes

Lemon-Herb Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Blistered Tomato Orzo

Name: Lemon-Herb Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Blistered Tomato Orzo
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 4 whole Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1.25 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 3 clove Garlic; 4 sprig Fresh thyme sprigs; 1 whole Lemon; 250 g Cherry tomatoes; 150 g Orzo; 400 ml Chicken stock; 50 g Baby spinach; 15 g Unsalted butter; 25 g Parmesan

Crackly-skinned chicken thighs roasted in one pan with lemon, garlic and thyme, served over buttery orzo tossed with blistered cherry tomatoes and spinach.

45 minutes · Easy · 2 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs4 whole
Olive oil2 tbsp
Salt1.25 tsp
Black pepper0.5 tsp
Garlic3 clove
Fresh thyme sprigs4 sprig
Lemon1 whole
Cherry tomatoes250 g
Orzo150 g
Chicken stock400 ml
Baby spinach50 g
Unsalted butter15 g
Parmesan25 g

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Wheat and milk. Check stock and cheese labels.

Method

Season the chicken

Heat the oven to 220°C. Pat the thighs very dry and season all over with 1 tsp salt and the pepper. Keep raw chicken utensils separate.

Crisp the skin

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Lay the thighs in skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 8–10 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases easily.

Roast

Flip the thighs, tuck in the garlic, thyme and lemon halves (cut side down), and scatter the tomatoes around. Roast 15–18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) at the thickest point near the bone and the tomatoes have burst.

Cook the orzo

Meanwhile, simmer the orzo in the stock with the remaining 0.25 tsp salt, stirring often, for 9–10 minutes until tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Finish the orzo

Stir the spinach, butter and Parmesan into the orzo until the spinach wilts. Squeeze in the juice from the roasted lemon, then fold through the blistered tomatoes and any pan juices.

Plate

Spoon the orzo onto plates and set the chicken on top, skin-side up so it stays crisp. Use clean utensils for the cooked chicken.

Start the thighs in a pan that isn't fully hot yet. Rendering the fat slowly gives you glass-crisp skin without burning.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.