Spinach and Artichoke Chicken and Orzo Bake

This one pot dinner is made with pieces from a whole chicken for an easy well-balanced meal. Sautéed shallots are tossed with artichoke hearts and sautéed spinach and combined with orzo, a small pasta.

Course chicken, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Servings

Calories 414kcal

Author Kylie Mazon-Chambers

Ingredients

1 (3-4 pound) fryer chicken, broken down into 10 pieces
Kosher salt as needed
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots diced
1 (8.5 ounce) can quartered artichokes, drained and chopped
6 ounces baby spinach
1 pound orzo
3 cups chicken stock
½ medium lemon
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
Heat a large 12” cast iron pan or a large, shallow, oven-safe pot over medium heat, add the oil and heat through.
Add the chicken pieces, skin-side down and sear until golden brown and crispy, about 6 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the artichokes and spinach to the pan, cooking until the spinach has wilted and decreased in size, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the orzo followed by adding the chicken stock and lemon juice. Nestle the seared chicken pieces into the pan.
Move the pan to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is tender, about 20 minutes.
Garnish with the feta and dill and serve.

Notes

Before baking, sauté the orzo briefly in the pan with a little olive oil until slightly translucent. This toasts the pasta and enhances its nutty flavor, giving the finished bake a richer overall taste and texture.

Nutrition