Chicken Orzo

My husband found a recipe from Nigella Lawson, which I adapted here on MLK day. She made this dish after coming home from a long tour overseas, to remind herself she was home. She is a fantastic celebrity cook, who constantly surprises me with how classic her techniques are, and relatively easy to cook at home if you're patient and have the time. This is NOT a weeknight meal. You will need a Dutch Oven or covered cassarole for this dish.

Jeff Lynch @hobbit_chef

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Ingredients

2.5 Hours

4-6 servings

1Whole Chicken (Amish preferred)
2-3 TbsOlive Oil
2 TbsLeamon Zest
2 TbsReal Leamon
3 TbsMinced Garlic
2-3Carrots, peeled and sliced
2Leeks, sliced
2 Tspkosher salt, to kosher the Chicken
2 TbspChilli Flakes
2 TspDried Tarragon
5 CupsWater
1 3/4 CupsOrzo Pasta
Fresh or Dried Parsley

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Steps

2.5 Hours

1

Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees; heat the Dutch Oven with olive oil. Braise the breast side of the chicken for 3 minutes a side, flip it over.
2

Take the Dutch Oven off the burner, sprinkle minced garlic and leamon zest into the sides around the chicken oin the Dutch Oven. Prep the carrots and leeks, and arrange them around the chicken in the pan. Add the Chilli flakes and Tarragon.
3

Pour the 5 cups of water into the pan, add the leamon juice, and bring the water and chicken to a boil.
4

Put the Dutch Oven in the oven, and bake for 75 minutes.
5

Take the Dutch Oven out of the oven, add the Orzo to the Dutch Oven and bake it another 30-40 minutes. Stir the Orzo to scrape the charred bits off the bottom of the pan.
6

To serve, pull the chicken off the bones. Put the Orzo and vegetable mix into bowls, place the shredded chicken atop the Orzo, and serve with italian blend cheese.