One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Buttery Orzo

I had saved this recipe a couple of months ago just waiting for my CSA box fennel to arrive. As soon as I saw it on my list of veggies to expect, I knew exactly what I was going to make. 🙂 I love how the orzo is cooked like risotto in this dish- the results were amazing.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Claire Saffitz. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of bone-in. I also increased the amount of fennel and used a sweet onion instead of a leek. We ate it with sautéed collard greens as well as sautéed yellow summer squash, also from my CSA box, of course. Easy, fresh, and delicious.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped, plus fronds, chopped (I used 1 1/2 bulbs)
• 1/2 Vidalia onion or 1 leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped
• 8 ounces orzo
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 2½ cups chicken stock, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Heat 2 T butter in a medium cast-iron skillet (I used a 10-inch skillet) over medium-high.
4. Nestle chicken, skin side down, in skillet in a single layer with no gaps (if you can’t quite fit them all, wait until chicken shrinks slightly, then puzzle in the remaining pieces). Cook until meat is opaque around the edges, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Turn chicken browned side up and transfer skillet to oven; bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 4 additional minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
6. Set same skillet over medium; combine chopped fennel bulb and leek/onion in skillet and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until leek is looking golden around the edges, about 5 minutes.
7. Add orzo and cook until pasta is darkened (it will take on a brown hue) to a nice nutty brown in spots and toasty smelling, about 3 minutes.
8. Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute.
9. Add broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting broth absorb before adding more, until orzo is tender and broth is mostly absorbed but pan is not dry, 10–15 minutes.
10. Remove skillet from heat, taste and adjust seasoning. Mix in lemon juice and remaining 1 T butter, then chopped fennel fronds.
11. Nestle and pile chicken on top and finish with lemon zest.

One Year Ago:

• Ottolenghi’s Baked Rice
• Corn & Zucchini Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Two Years Ago:

• Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Arugula, & Garlic Yogurt

Three Years Ago:

• Spicy, Garlicky Cashew Chicken

Four Years Ago:

• Soba Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms & Bon Choy
• Apple Cider Barbecue Sauce

Corn & Lobster Tart

What a lovely summer meal! After having sourdough baguette slices slathered with brie as an appetizer, we ate this flavorful tart and a green salad dressed with buttermilk-herb dressing for dinner. It could also be served as a special appetizer- perfect with a glass of rosé or white wine. We had fresh strawberry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Eating pie for dinner and dessert was incredibly indulgent and fabulous… I would recommend it. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Florence Fabricant. I used a Trader Joe’s pie crust as a shortcut. I also substituted 2 lobster tails for a whole lobster and used a Vidalia onion and parsley in the filling. Delicious.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• pastry for a 9-inch tart
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
• 1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
• pinch cayenne
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 1 1/4-pound lobster boiled or steamed, shucked and diced (I used 2 lobster tails (1 pound total weight)
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Roll out pastry between layers of plastic wrap or on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch straight-sided tart pan or a pie pan.
3. Prick bottom, line with parchment and foil and add pastry weights.
4. Bake 10 minutes, until pastry starts to look dry. Remove foil and weights and bake 5 or so minutes more, until pastry is lightly colored. Remove from oven but leave oven on.
5. While the crust is par-baking, cook the lobster meat. I cooked the lobster tails in boiling, salted water for 8 minutes. (1 minute per ounce- each tail was about 1/2 pound.) When cool enough to handle, cut off the shell and coarsely dice the meat.
6. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and cook on low until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in corn, tarragon or parsley and cayenne.
8. Stir in milk. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
9. In a bowl, beat eggs and cream together and slowly stir into the pan.
10. Add lobster. Stir in lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.
11. Ladle mixture into prepared tart shell. Bake 10 minutes.
12. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about 20 minutes more, until top is firm to the touch and very lightly browned, and a knife inserted in the filling comes out clean.
13. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

One Year Ago:

• Herbed Pappardelle with Asparagus & Burrata

Two Years Ago:

• Creamy Tomato Risotto with Crispy Garlic Crumbs

Three Years Ago:

• Shish Taouk: Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

Four Years Ago:

• Vidalia Onion Tart
• Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata