Braised chicken with orzo
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 1 to 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 4–6
This delicious recipe is really easy to throw together on a busy day as most of the work is done in the slow cooker.
Ingredients
For the chicken with orzo
- 1 whole chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
- 1 head garlic, cut in half
- 1 bay leaf
- 15g/½oz fresh thyme
- 200g/7oz orzo
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
Method
To make the chicken with orzo, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a casserole dish over a high heat and sear the chicken until well coloured all over.
Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker and pour in the stock.
Add the garlic, bay and thyme. Cover with the lid and cook for 2 hours on medium.
Add the orzo and cook for a further 10 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through – the juices should run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the leg, between the drumstick and the thigh, is pierced with a skewer.
To make the sauce, blend all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Serve the chicken and orzo in a serving dish, pour over the sauce and mix gently. Garnish with the extra coriander and tarragon sprigs.
