Whole Roasted Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo

By Stephanie Engoy
Images
Whole Roasted Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo
Serves
4 servings
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 whole chicken
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lemon, zested and halved
1/2 cup chopped leeks
1/4 cup chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
10-12 asparagus stalks, cut into fourths
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper, then heat the olive oil in a dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Once browned, set the chicken aside.

In the same pot, melt the butter and brown the lemon halves face down for about 1-2 minutes., then remove and set aside. Add the leeks and shallots to the pot and sauté for about 4 minutes. Then add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Nestle the whole chicken back into the pot and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the broth to a boil, skimming any scum that rises to the top.

Once the broth is boiling, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Carefully transfer the pot to the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165
°.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven and stir in the asparagus, peas, and orzo pasta. Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves into the pot and stir to combine.

Return the pot to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the orzo is soft.

Gently stir the orzo to loosen it up, then allow the pot to rest outside of the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the parmesan into the orzo and top with chopped parsley before serving.

Whole Roasted Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo

By Stephanie Engoy
Serves
4 servings
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 whole chicken
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lemon, zested and halved
1/2 cup chopped leeks
1/4 cup chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
10-12 asparagus stalks, cut into fourths
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper, then heat the olive oil in a dutch oven pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Once browned, set the chicken aside.

In the same pot, melt the butter and brown the lemon halves face down for about 1-2 minutes., then remove and set aside. Add the leeks and shallots to the pot and sauté for about 4 minutes. Then add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Nestle the whole chicken back into the pot and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the broth to a boil, skimming any scum that rises to the top.

Once the broth is boiling, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Carefully transfer the pot to the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165
°.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven and stir in the asparagus, peas, and orzo pasta. Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves into the pot and stir to combine.

Return the pot to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the orzo is soft.

Gently stir the orzo to loosen it up, then allow the pot to rest outside of the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the parmesan into the orzo and top with chopped parsley before serving.